What Lies Beyond the Plum Tree (Chapter 3 REVISED READ)
by silkhidingrose
Summary: Haikyuu-Kuroko no Basuke Crossover OC / Various in Military!Dystopia Fujisaki Kotomi thought all she needed were her closest friends, her home, and that special place beneath her favorite tree. But when the way finally finds its way to her and her family, a strange encounter under that special plum tree threatens to reveal what was best kept away.
1. Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

_**Authors Note: Hello there! For those of you who read the original version of the story, I would suggest you give this a read. It clarifies things a little better and I hope is easier to read. But his is more for my benefit because I want to further characterize and expand a little so I can feel the flow fo the story a little better. So thank you guys deeply for understanding and continuing to favorite/follow and review! All three mean a lot to me! I hope the wait was worth it! Plus, I know there are major structure and grammatical issues that drive me crazy ^^;; I'm really excited to go through this all again, since it's been so long! Let's get to it!**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow**

 _Ash and dust filled her lungs as she coughed and hacked, looking up with tears in her eyes at the outstretched hand. She could hear them calling for her, telling her to return to them, but her eyes were locked with his._

" _You said that they're your world, but there's more to the world than those guys," his voice was louder than anyone else's in the world right now. "you're not caged. You're free!" His truth finally reached her, crashing through the walls of deception she had helped them build around her. Without another thought, she lunged for his hand, gasping in desperation._

 _Bang._

* * *

" _Threads_  
Around and round  
Twist and bind together-  
If they (and we) meet not, what  
Will become of my life's _jeweled belt_ _?"_

"Ne, Kotomi, what is that you're spouting?" The tanned young man looked up from his position, resting his head of royal blue upon the lap of a young girl with dark hair and the eyes of the cornflowers that grew in the garden outside their home. His short, wildly tousled hair tickled the bare skin of her thighs as he stares up at her with innocent, curious eyes the same royal blue of his hair. Her back is to the plum blossom tree that grew on the outskirts of the city they called home. The girl looked to him with a small giggle.

"It's a classic poem from the _Kokinshu,_ a collection gathered by the imperial court. They're ancient, long before the Citadel was even conceived. These aren't even the _original_ poems, but instead approximations by scholars who learned by word of mouth and what little records were left in the Old Citadel." Her voice is gentle and melodic; and yet, there's a bounce to her words. The questioning boy stared at her intently, lips parted slightly as if he were in awe of something. "Hey, Daiki, are you even listening?"

"Not really."

"Ugh, figures!" She pouted as she rested raven locks against the bark, eyes scanning the lines of the poem as she read it over and over, soaking in every word. "Forget I even said anything."

"I shouldn't be surprised that you know of such things, Kotomi-chan." A powder blue haired boy offered from his spot beside her. Their shoulders touched as he helped himself to reading over her shoulder with a peaceful expression gracing his matching eyes. "If I had known this kind of thing interested you, I would have done more research myself." He said, and though there was hardly any emotion in his voice, Kotomi knew he was really invested. Kotomi looked up with a laugh, leaning closer to him and nuzzling his shoulder. He was soft and child-like, hair seeming so pale and wispy that it felt like her hand would phase right through if she tried to run her hands through it.

"It's a lesser known collection," announced a forest green haired boy as he pushed his black frames up the bridge of his nose, reading a book of his own. Though, he seems much more interested in listening to Kotomi read, even while he's sitting on the opposite side of the tree. He was quite beautiful, with emerald green set in sharp, sternly-shaped sockets and equally sharp, petite features. He fiddled with a red clay teapot in his taped hands thoughtfully. His expression seemed soft as he glanced behind him to watch the girl study intensely, only to blush and look away when he caught Kuroko's gaze as well, huffing indignantly. "Or should I say, one of the less popular ones."

"Even thought it's from the Old Citadel,1, its critics said that the influences were too much like the Middle Land culture2, but I don't think it means you can't enjoy them. It seems like a nice day to read short, pretty things like this." A warm summer breeze caressed them as if to emphasize this, the grass blades undulating like a sea of green through the fields and towards the city, a distant backdrop to their idyllic scene. Bright green earth met endless blue sky, two star-crossed lovers finding rendezvous in that distant city worlds away. The sight of the city was a painful reminder that this day wasn't like the others.

"You might be right about that…" Midorima agreed quietly, turning back to his book.

"Read something else, Koto-chin." The purple-haired giant yawned from the side unoccupied by Kuroko as he rubbed his eyes and patted the now empty bag of cookies. He ate much slower when he was with Kotomi, but he still ran out long before his stomach was ready for him to stop. When he couldn't find anymore crumbs to lick, he settled for leaning on Kotomi again, resting his head on top of hers. "Or sing for us, but this is boring." Despite his massive height at 13 making him look like a mythical being of sorts to some, his violet-themed smooth hair and droopy, deep-set eyes paired gave him a perpetually drowsy countenance. As such, he benefitted from a more balanced countenance.

"But Kotomicchi's voice sounds so pretty speaking in that Old Citadel Language," announced the golden blonde, using Kotomi's lap to rest his head as well. His hair was almost like the sun, framing his pretty face and long eyelashes. He could be a model, one day, though he announced he would hate that, since it meant that dating and marrying Kotomi before they turned 18 would be quite difficult.

"I can't even understand half of that."

"That's because Kise-chin is stupid." The blonde gasped indignantly at the purple haired giant's insult, huffing.

"So mean! Ne, Kotomicchi, comfort me!" He wrapped slender fingers around her hand, pressing her warm fingers to his cheek and whining childishly. Kotomi patted his cheek to placate him, though she was still looking at her book.

"Play nice, you two."

"Tch', Kise, you're too loud. Shut up a little, you'll wake me up." Aomine complained.

"You're ruining the atmosphere, Kise. Leave." Midorima ordered.

"Please quiet down, Kise-kun. I would like to hear Kotomi-chan a little better." Kuroko's condemnation was the final nail in Kise's coffin, and the blonde cried out, flailing and kicking.

"Kurokocchi too!? You guys are the worst!" A soft laugh distracted them from their rising quarrel. Kotomi couldn't hold back her amusement. cornflower blue eyes disappeared behind long, fluttering lashes as she tilted her head to the side. A dainty hand reached up to hide her smile, though the corners of her lips could be seen through the gaps of her slender fingers. It sent a collective throb to all around to witness it. Kise whined and nuzzled the skin of Kotomi's leg, which earned a choked sound from the green-haired boy.

"Ah, I could spend all day like this." Kise sighed and turned his head to smile at Kotomi, who blushed slightly.

 _If only he(she) knew how cute she(he) looks right now..._ _3_

"Kise, you're so improper…" Aomine grinned wolfishly as her reached up and wrapped his arms around Kotomi's waist.

"Come on, Midorima, you just wish it was you." Another choked noise escaped Midorima's throat as he turns a bright red color, taking on a Christmas theme.

"I-I am not vulgar, so I don't wish anything like that!"

"Mine-chin and Kise-chin are perverts. I'll crush the both of you…" Murasakibara complained, wrinkling the bag of snacks in his large hands.

"I am also annoyed." Kuroko said stiffly. Kotomi smiled tenderly at this and ran gentle hands through royal blue and golden blonde locks. This earned surprised, but embarrassed expressions from her childhood friends. Kotomi smiled at them, her eyes glittering in the early afternoon sun.

"It makes me happy to be with you guys like this..." Though her smile seemed to deflate, her high-spirited mood saddening.

"We probably…won't be able to do this for a while, huh…? Once you guys start your training at the end of this week, and all…" The faces of the young boys around her faltered from their previously peaceful demeanors, as reality began to rear its ugly head once more.

"I thought we came out here to forget shit like that." Kotomi flicked Aomine's head, which made him flinch and glare softly at her. But she knew she didn't have to scold him for his language. Besides, there was no helping it. Now everyone remembered the elephant in the room. These peaceful days were nothing but calm before the storm.

Kotomi and her friends had been born in the midst of a global war spanning over 150 years. At one point, one large nuclear disaster essentially tore civilization apart, and forced people to adapt to the world being almost 90% wasteland. According to her history teachers, the area they lived in had once been part of a country that called itself 'the Land of the Rising Sun' before foreign invaders and corruption destroyed its infrastructure. The more colloquial name was simply 'the Old Citadel.' Because the Old Citadel had been quite technologically advanced and prone to all kinds of disasters, the metropolitan areas more or less survived.

What was left of the government managed to establish a cutthroat border around the perimeter of the most salvageable parts of the city, protected by the finest soldiers, hand-picked and trained for that very purpose. For the last century, the government has continuously churned out the perfect soldiers, sending them out to fight the threat directly in enemy territory, or having them guard the border here. But in more recent years, the people who were left out of the border, called Wastelanders, have started to rebuild as well. It was only 4 years ago that the government, an oligarchy in collaboration with the Citadel Defense Army leaders, announced that strong, able-bodied young men would enlist at age 16, rather than 18 like before.

It was a cruel and unforgiving labor, with harsh conditions, murderous training, and little gratitude from the people; but the government rewarded them and their loved ones generously with plenty of food, electricity, and housing. All of them were orphans protected by the state and the Akashi family, who ran the Army and worked directly with the Diet.4 Technically, since Akashi Masaomi, the current patriarch of the family, already served the Army, there was no need for any of them to go. But it was already agreed once they had all arrived that it was for the sake of the Akashi family reputation would suffer if they didn't enlist. More than that, they had all made a promise to see to the end of the war however they could, even if Kotomi and Satsuki themselves couldn't go, since Akashi Masaomi saw it as a disgrace to send women to the battlefields.

"The training is for three years…so we'll be back when we're 16…" Midorima stated more to himself than anyone else, but the fact seemed to deflate their already dampened mood even further. Kotomi stared down at her poem book, particularly at the small paper crane book mark Midorima had folded for his Lucky Item once. Cable was rare. The government rationed it to a few hours a day, but Midorima never missed Oha-Asa, the fortune-telling program that old women and conspirators watched. While he was of neither sort, he was definitely unique in that sense. Most Lucky Items typically sat in his room once the day was over, mostly waiting to be recycled again one day. But she admired its perfection so much that Midorima gave it to her when they were 11 and she's had it ever since. It had become routine for them to hear his programs every morning.

 _Reminiscing doesn't help at all...the thought of all of them being gone for so long..._ Kotomi bit her lip as she tried to keep herself composed. A hand over hers distracted her, and Kotomi found herself looking at Kuroko, who stared at her with a furrowed brow and pursed lips. When she noticed how silent it was, Kotomi noticed that the other three young men were staring at her too. If she glanced behind her, she would have seen Midorima glancing from behind the tree, as well.

 _Right, they're all as worried as I am, maybe even more..._ Kotomi shook her head and patted her cheeks, forcing a smile onto her face.

"It'll be hard without you guys here," She confessed. "I want to go to training with you guys, too…" Kise flailed a little and sat up so quickly he almost smashed his golden head into her nose if she hadn't moved away in time, though her jerk to avoid him knocked a pensive Aomine out of his position.

"Oi!" The young man groaned and rolled over in the grass and gritted his teeth.

"Kotomicchi, don't even joke!" Kise despaired at the thought of Kotomi. He knew the others felt the same panic. Who wouldn't, looking at someone like Kotomi? A young slender girl of 13, bearing heavy tactical gear, carrying a gun, crawling through the mud and dirt, her hair getting caught in its barbs, her slender arms becoming bruised, her gentle spirit crushed. No one in their right mind would let something like that happen.

"Kotomi, women can't join the Army." Midorima reminded her. Kotomi sighed, still not contented with that being an excuse.

"They changed the age of drafting, why can't we change that rule, too? Besides, women can be battlefield healers. I don't understand the distinction of why I can't train along with you." Kotomi huffed and crossed her arms.

"The healers are explicitly non-combat roles." Kuroko said. He was the most concerned by Kotomi's interest. "There's no way that Masaomi-san would let you go into a battlefield without any combat expereince." Kotomi whipped her head over to look at Kuroko with an indignant glare.

"So, it's okay for other women to go, but because _I'm_ a ward of the Akashi family, I'm not allowed? Isn't that awful, to put someone above others just becuase they're affiliated with someone important? If that's the case, why are you guys going?" Kuroko paused, unable to find the answer himself. It didn't sound right, either. But he didn't want to agree and support the idea.

Every young man was meant to serve. In the case of Kise, Kuroko, Murasakibara, Midorima, Aomine, and Akashi Masaomi's own son, Akashi Seijurou, their physical exams suggested they would excel without them trying very hard. So even if it was difficult, their chances of surviving the training and even the war were higher than most. But for Kotomi, who was deemed fragile physically, mentally, and emotional fragile by a team of doctors, even if women _were_ allowed on the front lines, it just seemed like she deserved to live a life of comfort. But saying that would only escalate the conversation.

"I know it'll be difficult without us," Kuroko fell back on reassuring her, since he figured that it wasn't that she was itching to fight, but rather that she was lonely. He moved closer to her and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, so that he could peer into those cornflower blue eyes more clearly. "But we'll be back before you know it, and things will be the same." Kise sat up and placed a hand on her head, smiling handsomely at her.

"That's right. You're such a good girl, Kotomi-cchi, so you've gotta behave while we're gone, okay?"

"The only difference is that we'll be a lot stronger!" Aomine nodded triumphantly, flexing his muscles. "Strong enough to protect you from anything in the world!"

"It'll be a pain, so prepare lots of snacks for us when we come back, okay, Koto-chin?"

"So long as we do all that we can do, we will surely return to you in those three years. But for now…" Midorima pushed his glasses up his nose once again. "Keep coming to this tree and read like you always do. And think of us." Kotomi let out a long exhale and nodded slowly.

"...Uuu..." Kotomi sniffled and felt her eyes sting as they filled with tears. That's right, she couldn't be so down. They were the ones going to war, eventually. She had to be strong for them. It was hard for them too. They've been through everything together, after all. They would miss her just as much as she would miss them. But that didn't mean she wouldn't do all she could from where she was as well.

"Ah! Midorimacchi made Kotomicchi cry!" Kise gasped loudly.

"Wha-!? I did not! Kise!" Kise wrapped his arms around Kotomi and pressed his nose into the top of her head while nuzzling her happily. He tangled one hand in her hair and the other pulled her close by the waist. Kotomi hid her face in his shoulder and sniffled, fighting the urge to wail and cry.

"Ahh, Kotomicchi is such a good girl…"

"Kise. Get your hands off her."

"Kise-kun, please stop."

"What? I'm just comforting her!"

"Kise-chin, I'll crush you with everything I have."

"That's horrible!" Kotomi smiled serenely, her heart sad but full. She wished that Momoi and Akashi were here to enjoy it, too. Kotomi finally pulled away when she was fully composed, rubbing her eye.

"Sei-kun is probably waiting for us to come back so let's go, yes?" The rest of them paused their plan to publicly execute the poor blonde sunshine, and at Kotomi's words they seemed forget, as if something in the air around her soothed any ills they held towards each other, for just a moment. But Kotomi knew there wasn't really much to worry about. This was just how they were. In reality, no matter how much they bickered, each of them had an unbreakable bond forged by their lives together in the Akashi house. They were practically family.

As they all stood and started heading towards that distant city, Kotomi glanced back past the tree, her eyes following the expanse lines of grass in the direction opposite to her friends, watching with an unreadable expression as the grass began to thin and pale in color, shifting to an ugly brown of decay and desiccation as it disappeared into the horizon.

"Kotomi-chan, are you alright?" Kotomi blinked away some ebbing and flowing thought on the shores of her memories and turned to Kuroko, whose apathetic disposition read just an edge of concern for her behavior. Kotomi smiled and ran towards him and the retreating backs of her other friends. She could already see Kise's far away silhouette waving to the both of them, though he seemed to flinch as Aomine appeared to chuck something at him. Kotomi blinked and giggled, covering her mouth.

"They're running off without us, even though they were so clingy just before." Kuroko offered his hand to her with the ghost of a smile, and Kotomi found her cheeks warming just a little. He was quite handsome himself, despite his lack of presence.

"I prefer that, so that I can be clingy as well." Kotomi took his hand, returning the reassuring squeeze he gave her as they began to head back, Kotomi's poem book tucked tightly under her arm.

* * *

 **Akashi Residence: Citadel**

"Tetsu-kun!" Kotomi promptly released Kuroko's hand as he was tackled to the ground by a beautiful pink haired girl. She said a silent prayer and moved to stand beside Murasakibara.

 _Rest in peace, Tetsuya..._

"The deadliness of Momoi Satsuki's hugs are directly proportionate to the amount of time she's spent away from Kuroko." Midorima murmured with a glint in his glasses.

"Satsuki, you don't hafta do that every time…" Aomine shouted. Kotomi sighed as she watched Kuroko flail and beg for air as he tried to fight off the grip of their childhood friend. "Oi, Tetsu, how are you gonna fight if you can't even fight off Satsuki?"

"The power of love is truly something ." Kotomi giggled while the purple haired boy played with her hair, running his long hands through her hair with a vacant disinterest for what occurred in front of them. Akashi Seijurou, a beautiful young man with crimson hair and blood red eyes of a similar shade, chuckled as he came to stand beside Kotomi.

"Momoi was working quite hard, Aomine, let her have this."

"This is why she's such a brat." Aomine complained, sticking a finger in his ear. His eye caught a cheeky Kotomi, who raised an eyebrow at him, to his annoyance. "What?"

"You say that, Daiki, but you spoil her the most." Aomine turned red as he vehemently denied her claim. "T-That's because she gets on my nerves if I don't!" Kotomi rocked on her heels and shrugged away his denial. She knew he couldn't deny that the girl was special to him. They had arrived at the Akashi estate together, after all. Momoi was also an orphan rescued by the Akashi family. As far as Kotomi knew, her parents had been researchers for the Old Citadel, and had left Momoi with Aomine's family when they lived out in the Wastelands.

After they were killed in a Wastelander attack, Momoi and Aomine were sent away together when the latter's parents went searching for the bodies of their friends. Needless to say, they never returned.

"A-Anyway, she's not _special,_ I would..." Kotomi tilted her head when Aomine trailed off, his face turned a deeper red and he shoved his hands into his pockets as he looked away.

"What?"

"I would spoil you too...if you asked..." Kotomi blushed and held her cheeks, reaching out to place a hand on the taller's boy with a tiny curve of her lips.

"What a good kid!" Aomine bristled and tried to shove her hands off, but at the same time, his tensed expression softened. But the moment was short-lived. Kise promptly threw himself on the short girl, while Murasakibara tugged insistently on her long locks.

"Koto-chin, pay attention to me, now."

"Kotomi-cchi, pet my head too!" But a hand reached out to wrap around Kotomi's wrist. The redheaded Akashi pulled the raven-haired girl to his side, keeping his hand wrapped around hers with a serene smile.

"Oh, Sei-kun?" Kotomi asked, wondering why he intercepted, but was silently grateful.

"You're bothering her, you three." Kise, Murasakibara, and Aomine all pouted and shrunk away, becoming silent. Akashi had always been like this, as long as Kotomi had known him. Akashi and his family were the sole reason they were alive today, so everyone saw him as the unofficial leader of their friend group,

His family's legacy dated back to the Old Citadel. Akashi Seijirou's mother and father, Shiori and Masaomi, funded a rescue effort in the chaos of war to extract children from Japan's ruins. That was how they had found Kise, Kuroko, and Kotomi, the last three to join the group.

Kotomi could vaguely remember rats and dripping water before a recovery team found her and brought her to her new home in the Akashi estate, in the heart of the city. It was in these very halls where she met Kuroko and the others. She was 8 years old at the time. Where her parents were or how long she'd been surviving on her own, she didn't know. The doctors said it wasn't uncommon for traumatized children to repress their memories, so Kotomi didn't think on it that much. It was probably for the best that she didn't look into it if she had forgotten it in the first place.

"Koto-chan!" Momoi seemed satisfied with her furious hugging of Kuroko, and so her target changed to the only other girl in the group. Kotomi opened her arms instinctively.

"Satsuki-chan!" Kotomi caught the cute pink haired girl in her arms, more prepared for the tackle than poor Kuroko, who was lying on his back, unconscious on the floor. "We missed you!"

"Barely." Aomine picked his nose while he looks away.

"That's okay. I was getting everyone's data ready! I helped the researchers a lot! It's the least I can do for you guys. This way, you won't have to do the extra examinations and you can get right to training! Then you can come back, faster…" Momoi's voice lacked its usually bouncy energy, and Kotomi realized her friend had been dreading this day as well, but she had been productive with her sadness. Kotomi seems a little put off by this. And here she had just been sitting around…

"Kotomi," Akashi's gentle voice snapped her out of her disappointment. Cornflower met crimson as she looked up at Akashi, who squeezed her hand affectionately. "I can see how refreshed everyone looks, thanks to you."

"Akashi-kun talks like they're wild animals." Momoi giggles, holding a hand to her cheek.

"Hey! What the hell?" Aomine protested.

"Don't lump me in with them." Midorima grated.

"Momoicchi!"

"Sa-chin, that's mean…"

"Oh, not you though, Tetsu-kun!" A quiet groan. He was still recovering. Kotomi sighed, but kept her smile for them.

"You don't have to comfort me, Akashi-kun, but thank you…I can't analyze data like Satsuki-chan can, but I know what I want to do to help you guys."

"Oh? What's that?" Akashi tensed, already aware of Kotomi's proclivity for being a tad headstrong at times. He knew it wasn't something plausible, with the way Kuroko and the others tensed.

"I'll be a medic!" Kotomi's eyes shined, and the 7 of them breathed a sigh of relief. "That way when you guys come back, I can be the first to see you!"

"I think you'd be very good at it, Kotomi-chan." Kuroko rasped as he clambered to his feet again, rubbing his back.

"Have fun patching up these guys, I won't ever have a scratch on me!" Aomine puffed his chest out.

"But Kotomicchi will be touching other guys if she's a medic, won't she? I'll be super jealous!" Kise shook his fists with frustration.

"You're so childish, Kise. She needs to heal everyone as a medic, she can't have any preference for her patients." Midorima huffed.

"Well…" Kotomi pokes her fingers together and smiles sheepishly, tilting her head to the side as she giggles a little. "I…I'm also a little jealous that someone might get to welcome you home before I do, so…that's also why."

There was single heartbeat of a pause before Kise pounced. Aomine preemptively grabbed Kotomi and pulled her out of the way before he could latch onto her. He was like a damn golden retriever, that Kise. As if he was going to let him cuddle up to her after she went and said something so goddamn adorable. No way.

"Kotomicchi, marry me right now!"

"She'd never marry a loser like you, Kise."

"Please don't say such a cruel thing to Kise, Daiki…"

"See? She wants to marry me!"

"I never said that…"

"Then marry me."

"Aominecchi, you sneaky-!" Kotomi ducked out of the way before she can get caught up in that brawl, standing beside Akashi once more. He smiled fondly as he glanced at her.

"You'll make a fine medic, Kotomi-chan. I'll be sure to talk to Father about enrolling you in the classes before we leave." Kotomi took his hand in hers by habit, humming softly. He was always so efficient. It worried her.

"We'll work hard on our end, but try not to overdo it. I know you act all mighty, but you're really bad about pushing yourself." His response was a soft chuckle.

"Of course not, but the faster we finish training, the sooner we come back home."

"That doesn't reassure me at all, you dummy" Akashi responded by lacing their fingers together with a small laugh that made Kotomi's heart skip a beat. She pouted and puffed her cheeks, wondering why her chest felt so strange. But she didn't have much time to think on it, as Momoi threw her arms around Kotomi and Akashi, nuzzling the redhead like a puppy would its mother.

"No matter how much time passes, we'll be together forever, won't we?" She asked softly, her smile was practically angelic. Kotomi nodded firmly as she fondly watches as Murasakibara tried to bribe the blonde and bluenette from fighting with his snacks, albeit using only a single biscuit, but that was considered an arm and a leg in Murasakibara's book. Midorima was trying to grab one of them, though a rogue fist knocked the glasses clean off his face. Kuroko was just watching Aomine as he shoved his foot in Kise's face. Kotomi laughed brightly, cheeks turning pink and nose crinkling.

"Yes! Forever!"

* * *

Their last few days together were spent in normalcy, trying to make it seem like this would just be a weekend apart. Kotomi was lying awake in her bed the night before they'd be leaving, staring at the ceiling; sleep was far away from her mind. If she had a choice, she would gladly join the military, as well. But Akashi would never allow it. She loved that she was so loved, but Kotomi wished they weren't so protective all the time. She felt like she would be able to do more as an on-field medic than one who waited for the bodies to come rolling in.

 _I want to do more. I have to do more. I can't just sit here while they go and risk everything…but what could I possibly do for them that didn't make them worry?_ Kotomi sat up from her bed and hurried over to her desk to search. What could she do for them? What did they need?

" _You soothe them."_ Akashi's voice in her head made her pause. A bout of frustration bubbled up in her chest as she flopped down into her desk chair with a heavy sigh. It had comforted her in the moment, but she knew that it was only trying to make her feel less inferior in comparison to the brilliant Momoi. Understanding data and applying it to real life was like breathing to the other girl. She was going to be indispensible to the Citadel when she was older, which was why Akashi Masaomi was giving her so many opportunities to sharpen her skills. But what about her? She wasn't really good at anything that would be particularly useful.

No, now wasn't the time to be pitying herself. She had to focus on the task at hand. She opened up the drawers of her desk. In the last one found an array of fabric scraps, string, her sewing kit and paper.

Inspiration struck.

"Seven hours until sunrise, eight until they leave. That gives me some time…" She murmured, she worked on cutting apart the fabric, setting one out for the color corresponding to each of her technicolored friends. If this was all she could do for now, then it would have to do until she was stronger.

* * *

Kuroko was awake before all the others, too anxious about what was coming. It was no secret that he was the least physically capable of his friends. As soon as he was able to understand what the Citadel Army was, he took the Aptitude test given in their first year of middle school with his friends. But in terms of physical capability...he wasn't encouraged by his performance, esepcially in comparison to the others.

So Kuroko Tetsuya was conflicted when his results came back, and discovered that he had an aptitude for stealth, when the others had been assigned tactical combat training. He thought that Akashi would pull some strings and insist that Kuroko stay home with Kotomi and Satsuki, but...

"Just as expected, it's a relief to know you'll be there." Akashi said with his never-wavering confidence. And in that moment, Kuroko felt the painful duality of what that meant for him.

Kuroko paused while was changing into the tight, high collar spandex top that all trainees were supposed to wear. He had wanted to make a difference, and of course he was going to work hard. But he worried endlessly for Kotomi. He hated leaving her alone.

He still remembered the day she arrived at Akashi's house, just days after he had. She was an unkempt, ratty little thing with no muscle or fat on her bones and hollowed out cheeks. Kuroko was not much more than her, but he had had his elderly grandparents and his mother to care for him. He went to bed hungry a lot, but he was warm, and loved.

That's why he was so broken when raiders from the Wastelands slaughtered his family. His lack of presence helped him hide in the laundry basket his mother placed him in, just after kissing his head and hugging him one last time. He remembered the agony in his tiny heart the first month at the Akashi house. He went to bed sobbing every night and woke up sniffling every morning. He couldn't feel happy for so long; he felt lost.

But Kotomi had been alone a long time, according to Akashi. She spoke to no one, but she didn't cry or scream. She had been lost for such a long time. Kuroko was scared of her at first. He had never seen someone who had completely shut down like that before.

The first time Kotomi had ever looked at anyone was Kuroko. It was a seemingly normal day, when Kuroko had finally recovered enough to start playing with the other children. But he got tired easily, and the maids would ask him to sit with Kotomi to keep her company when he was resting, since everyone else had been too scared of her silence to do so. Despite his reluctance at first, Kuroko did as they asked, since he liked the maids.

For hours upon hours while the others played, he just watched her or occupied himself with something quiet. Even though Aomine used to call her a 'creepy doll', Kuroko always came to her defense. Secretly, he wished that one day she would thank him suddenly. He just wanted her to speak, because her silence was scary. Perhaps it was for that reason, he was able to sit with her for so long. After a while, he began to stop expecting anything and j ust sat with her because it was easier to read peacefully without ebing interrupted by a wrestling match or a barrage of flying toys.

And finally, on a day no different than other, a breakthrough. Kotomi turned her head to face him, when she heard him approaching. Her eyes widened, and she spoke for the first time. Her voice was raspy and small from disuse, but her words surprised Kuroko enough to make him jump.

"When…did you get here?" Everyone said that, any time that he approached them, be it the maids, his friends, or even Akashi's parents. So to hear it from this girl he thought would never look his way, it felt a little strange. Suddenly, the creepy doll looked like everyone else in that house.

"I've been here." He answered. She blinked once, clueless, and then she nodded. And like that, they didn't speak another word to each other for the rest of the day, but Kotomi scooted closer to him. Perhaps it was just because she liked the warmth of another person, but Kuroko was glad she was alright with him, and even more amazed that even when everyone noticed him last, he was the first she acknowledged.

The maids used to joke about how Akashi Shiori, Seijurou's mother, cried when she saw Kotomi trailing behind Kuroko for the first month. She tugged on his shirt and tottered behind him like a baby duckling. But as she became more lively, it was soon Kuroko who followed Kotomi around when she was up and playing with the others. The maids teased him, to this day, about how Kuroko cried if she didn't pay enough attention to him. He even used to quarrel with Kise for her attention when they were just kids, through his roundabout way of scaring the small blonde or tripping him often. Kuroko was only 9 years old when he realized that he couldn't imagine a life without her.

And since then, they were never apart for more than a day, so how was he supposed to go three years without her, now? His thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

 _Knock knock._

Were they supposed to gather already? Kuroko walked over to the door and was surprised to see the dark-haired teen, still in her pajamas, at his door. She had her hands tucked behind her back.

"Kotomi-chan, is something wrong…?"

"No, I…I wanted to give you something before you guys left. I couldn't wait, so…" She held out her hand, which contained a small envelop of powder blue fabric, stuffed full of old something soft, sewn together to create something reminiscent of a charm. The string was looped, so that it could hang off something, and had the character for "Protection" clumsily sewn on it in dark blue thread. Kuroko opened his palm and let her drop it into his hand. Kotomi fidgeted a little, poking her bandaged fingers together. A smile welled up and threatened to spill onto Kuroko's face, though to her it looked the twitch of his lips.

"I got scared I was going to run out of time, so I rushed it. I'm sorry…"

"Thank you, Kotomi-chan. It's very cute." She openly sighed in relief.

"I just…I know I can't be there with you, so I want you to think of me when you hold that. " Kuroko squeezed the charm tightly in his hand, his eyes softening as he pursed his lips.

"I'm always thinking of you, Kotomi."

"Really? That makes me-wah!" She's surprised when he suddenly dropped the honorifics on her name, and even more so when he wrapped his arms around her back, being the same height as her. Kuroko pressed his face into the crook of her neck, the floral scent of rose filling his senses and calming the storm in his chest. Kuroko sighed, squeezing both her and his new charm tight.

Kotomi's eyes stung, and she placed her hands on his back just above his shoulder blades, squeezing him tight for a moment before she pulled away. She couldn't handle anymore, she might not be able to leave his side, at this point. Kuroko smiled gently at her, and Kotomi felt her cheeks warm again.

"See you soon." Her eyes brightened at this, and she nodded, her smile growing and the bridge of her nose crinkling slightly.

"See you soon, Tetsuya."

* * *

Aomine threw his sweat-soaked shirt onto the bed as chugged the bottle of water in his room, staring out the window at the night sky. At this point, midnight black had already shifted to a cerulean blue. Unable to sleep, he ended up going out for a run around the estate. Soon, the sun would come over the horizon, and so would the van that would take them away from the home he's known for 8 years of his life. Of course, he was thrilled for a new adventure, a chance to become stronger, and a way to stop depending on Akashi and his family, but…there were things here that were too precious to leave. The knock at his door got his attention. It made him scoff. Momoi had already stood at his door and cried, so it wasn't her. If this was Kise saying he had a nightmare, the blonde kid was getting a water bottle shoved down his throat.

"Kise, I'm not going to- " But he didn't get to finish his sentence.

"Uwah!" Aomine jumped at the high-pitched squeak that met his ears. Not to mention, she looked really cute as she turned bright red from embarrassment. "D-Don't surprise me like that!"

"I didn't, you're the one in front of my room." Aomine leaned against the door frame and smirks. "But sneaking into a boy's room in the middle of the night? Have you finally hit your rebel phase? You come to have some 'fun?'" Kotomi rolled her eyes a little, but she smiled lightheartedly.

"As if you would even know what to do. You just say what the older kids say at school. Remember when you asked the teacher about-"A hand clapped over her mouth before she could say anymore. The dark red of tanned cheeks could be seen even at night. Aomine hissed at her.

"Okay! I get it, sorry!" He slowly pulled his hand away, as if fearing that she would say more. He forgot about her spunky tendencies. He always forgot she was cheekier when it was just the two of them. He liked it. It was like a secret between just the two of them. "So? What's up?" He was leaning against the door frame. Kotomi pulled Aomine's navy blue charm with white thread out of her little pouch, smiling.

"For you." Aomine looked down at the trinket and grinned brightly, clutching it tightly in his hand.

"Man, I already feel stronger." Kotomi blushed and she threw her arms around him, even if he smelled kind of bad.

"You smell like sweat, you should shower." Aomine was inches away from returning the hug before he raised his hands in embarrassment. "Also, put a shirt on."

"It's your fault for coming here so suddenly-!"

"No, it's okay." Aomine wasn't so sure about leaving. Kotomi couldn't pull away. She didn't want him to see her face. Aomine was always so optimisic about the end of this war. She loved that about him. "Hug me anyway, I want to remember you just like this until you come back to me." If only she could see the tender expression on his face as he wrapped his hands around her. Though he tried to hide it with a pout, his hand clutched the charm tightly.

"I'll never let go." And as he tightened the hug ever so slightly, his doubts disappeared.

There were precious things, here.

* * *

When Kotomi discovered the trail of snacks leading out of Murasakibara's room and down the hall, she sighed and moved towards the kitchen. He really seemed like the only one not too concerned about going. When she entered the kitchen, she could see the light of the fridge casting a shadow upon the tall, lanky figure digging away into biscuits and slices of ham.

"Atsushi," the purple-haired boy popped out of from the fridge like a rabbit from its hidey-hole, eyes adorable wide, as he was caught quite literally with his hand in the cookie jar. "The maids will get angry." He seemed undeterred by this news, licking his lips as he closed the fridge. He balanced his haul precariously with one long, slender arm.

"Oh, Koto-chin, did you get hungry, too? Let's have snacks together."

"Your snacks are like meals, for me." She responded. Kotomi walked over to the fridge, and Murasakibara preemptively picked her up by the waist and placed her on the island kitchen, so that she could speak to him at relatively eye-level. They did this every time they talked, since he was old enough to lift her up since their height difference was a bit ridiculous.

"I came to give you something." Murasakibara opened his giant hand to receive the charm, brow raised when he realized it wasn't edible. Though, Akashi told him that he shouldn't show that he was upset when a girl gave him a gift he didn't want. He didn't really care that much about other girls that weren't Momoi or Kotomi. When he made either of them cry, it gave him a bitter taste in his mouth, and none of his snacks tasted good anymore.

"Thanks…" Kotomi laughed. He wasn't very good at hiding his confusion and slight distaste. He was still a kid, despite his height.

"Just think of me when you look at it."

"I don't need this. I'll remember Koto-chin whenever I smell something sweet." There was something odd about the way he said that, but Kotomi didn't get much time to question him on that before Murasakibara pushed a cookie in between Kotomi's lips, leaning in a moment later to take a bite from it.

"Sweet," Murasakibara licked his lips and smiled in rare satisfaction. "Goodnight, Koto-chin." As he walked away, Kotomi let the other half of the cookie fall from her mouth, cheeks burning so hot she thought they'd boil water.

 _Okay, so maybe be wasn't a kid._

* * *

"Kotomicchi! A late night visit? Oh! Are you finally going to elope with me?"

"I'm not going to marry you, Ryota.." The blonde gasped, clutching his chest and backing up slightly, as if it were the first time he was hearing this. Kotomi handed him the charm and waved to him, not able to stay long. She was going to run out of time, soon, and she still had to see Akashi and Midorima. She turned to go before she heard Kise speak, his bubbly voice suddenly lacked its usual energy.

"We're really leaving you…" She turned to look at him, eyes softened when she saw that his mask had cracked and chipped away, revealing the fear and anxiety he hid behind his smile. Kotomi turned to face him properly, knowing that this was not his usual dramatics.

"You're taking a trip. I'll still be here when you come back. I think of it like that."

"And you won't be married?"

"I don't plan on being married at 16, Ryota."

"Not to anyone else but me."

"To _anyone."_ She smiled despite the firmness of her voice, and slowly grasped his hand with both of hers, bringing the knuckle of his middle finger to her lips. Kise malfunctioned a moment, eyes wide and starting to become a little blurry as his face turned red. His fangirls would surely pass out if they were to see this.

"But I'll be waiting right here for you. Then you can try to win my heart." Kise's eyes brightened impossibly, and he threw his arms around her tightly, holding the small of her back and the back of her head so she couldn't push him away. If this was going to be the last time he was going to see her for the next three years, he wanted to feel her close to him just one more time.

For once, Kotomi allowed it without any resistance, wrapping her arms tightly around him and sighing softly.

"I'll win your heart for sure. I like you more than anyone in the world, after all, Kotomicchi." He pulled away and pressed his lips to her forehead, grinning brightly despite the looming deadline.

* * *

"I don't need a charm, I have my Lucky Item." Despite his words, Midorima seemed pleased about the little trinket she offered him, holding it carefully between half-taped fingers.

"I know, I know, but just keep it on you for my sake, please?" She asked quietly. Midorima made a sound of affirmation, staring at his farewell present while Kotomi pulled out her other present for him. She held it out to him. "And here. An extra from me." Midorima raised a brow as he recognized the item in her hands.

"This is...the book you were reading today."

"Mhm, you told me to think of you when I missed you guys, right? So, with that you can remember a good place and a good time when you're feeling homesick." Midorima remembered his advice to her from last week, the memory caused the tips of his ears to turn red.

"I'll be sure to return it to you." As he pulled his hand away, Kotomi took the unfinished taped hand in hers and looked up at him, smiling gently.

"Let me do it?" A small sound choked his throat but Midorima nodded stiffly, sitting down wordlessly; he calmly set his present on his nightstand, right beside his glasses and handed her a roll of tape. Kotomi sat across from him on the bed, starting to delicately wrap his fingers. She wasn't quite sure when this habit started, but she remembered how much he struggled as a kid, his hands always dropped the roll of tape and let it roll away from him, only to be trampled by a running Kise and Aomine. Before he could start crying, Kotomi was at his side, with Kuroko holding onto the back of her shirt as she sat across from him, just like now.

"I know you know how to do this, but I'm glad you let me, still."

"Just for tonight." Kotomi paused as she was wrapping his ring finger down to the knuckle, smiling.

"Yes, just for tonight." There was a long pause, with only the sound of tape crinkling every now and then. This was mostly because Midorima was so tense it felt like his jaw was locked in place. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. "Shintaro?"

"Y-Yes…?"

"I'll miss you." Her sincerity melted his tension, and he felt his heart lurch.

"…As will I." As Kotomi finished the last finger, and Midorima pulled his hands back, eyes wandering over to the charm once more. But he didn't have time to admire it for long, and he threw his arms out when Kotomi suddenly launched herself at him. His hands caught her waist,, face turning red and fingers twitching as his hands fell limp at his sides. His first instinct was to fling her off him and run for the nearest hole to die of embarrasment in, but he knew he would regret upsetting her before she left.

Not to mention, if this was the last time for a while he would be able to see her and touch her so casually, then he couldn't push her away for either of their sakes. So while he didn't hug her back, he looked away and sighed, closing his eyes. It smelled of rose. He felt her small, petite shoulders shaking. And he realized he must do absolutely everything he could to return home safely to her, now and every time afterwards. He remembered Oha-Asa's fortune for the day.

" _Keep your precious one close. Dark storms lie ahead! Don't be afraid to stand in the rain but shield others from the lightning! The rainbow afterward will be worth the tempest!"_

* * *

As the sun rose in the sky, Kotomi realized that it would soon be time for them to leave, and for the first time in years, they would be separated. As she walked to Akashi's room, her steps slowed, her shoulders began to droop, and her vision blurred and stung. She had been holding it back for so long, she just had to endure Akashi's farewell, so…why was she breaking down now?

"Kotomi?" Kotomi looked up from the carpet, spotting Akashi.

"Oh, I…I have something for you! I'm glad you're already out. You always seem to know, don't you? Anyway, I wanted to give this to you!" She pushed the crimson charm with gold accents into his hand, holding his fist closed and hiding her face behind her bags, her voice was already shaking. He had his bags and his training uniform on. It suddenly felt real. She bit her lip, throwing herself into his arms right after. He caught her without dropping a single bag, perfect as per usual. He couldn't help a small chuckle.

"We haven't even left yet, and you're crying already?" He took note of her trembling shoulders, his smile turning more tender by the second.

"How am I going to go on without you guys? I can't, my heart hurts, and I can't breathe when I think about you guys being gone." Akashi set his bags down so that he could properly cup her cheeks, tilting her head up to look at him, and smiling handsomely at her as he drew small circles into her soft cheeks with his thumbs.

"We all feel the same about leaving you. But I know you're strong, and you'll be alright. At least until we come back."

"How do you know?" Akashi brushed a hand through her hair, pressing her forehead into his shoulder, looking ahead of him.

"Because you made it to us by yourself. You have the capability, and you're strong, but you didn't have to be alone. For now, you'll have to be strong on own again."

"But I don't- "

"We're all doing things we don't want to do, Kotomi." Ah, and even though Kotomi wanted to be a baby around Akashi, he never let her do so for too long.

"… You're right, I'm being selfish, I'm sorry…"

"We do spoil you, so it's to be expected."

"Sei!" He laughed as Kotomi's head popped up to pout and whine at him, and he took the opportunity to press his lips to her cheek, seeming to enjoy the way her cheeks turn pink and she pouted more, puffing her cheeks out.

 _If only you knew how much I want to spoil you…_ He thought fondly.

"Thank you for loving us so deeply, Kotomi." She smiled at this, a deep sigh settling her nerves. The morning sun finally arrived with the calm, and all was well as they watched the sun rise on their farewell.

* * *

 **Departure Day: Akashi Residence**

"There there, Satsuki…" Kotomi hugged her pink haired best friend tightly as the girl cried into her shoulder. They watched from the front door of the Akashi estate as their friends climbed into a black van, placing their bags in one by one before they entered through those big car doors. Kise, Akashi, and Kuroko waved until they're just about to climb in, but Midorima, Aomine, and Murasakibara didn't look back, climbing in without another glance.

"Be safe!" Kotomi called out to them. "Eat plenty, and train hard! Don't bother anyone by being brats!" She called out to them. She still felt so helpless, unable to do anything more for them, for the cause they were risking their lives for.

Kotomi didn't hold the lack of response against them, but it didn't help her feel less like a freeloader. All she could do was watch as the engine sputtered to life. She ran her fingers through Momoi's soft peach colored locks, patting her back in rhythm with her sobs. She felt like crying too, but her time with Akashi had calmed her heart. She offered them a gentle smile right up until the doors closed and the van finally disappeared through the gates of the property. Her tears welled up again, but this time they didn't fall.

"Satsuki, let's go out and have some tea, okay?" As she ushered Momoi inside, a butler was there to meet her, holding a manila folder out to Kotomi.

"Sorry to interrupt, Miss, but here is the paperwork for the on-site medic position. Master Akashi requested that you bring it to the medical clinic yourself today." Today? His son just left. But, that was just like him. Business. That's why his son was such a workaholic, too.

"Thank you." But she didn't really want to think about anything other than tea time. As she took Momoi back inside, Kotomi tucked the papers under her arm, heading back to the much emptier house.

The van was silent as it drove down the near empty streets of the town. Despite its pristine conditions, it was rather empty. Not many people lived here, anymore, what with the elderly dying and the young being shipped off to die in battle, there wasn't much opportunity to procreate and fill the streets. In terms of manpower, they were solid. For how long it would remain that way, there was no telling. But it was a problem for another day. And it was the farthest thing from the minds of the teen boys who were being shipped off to become soldiers. Not long into the 8-hour drive to the training grounds, small sniffles still filled the stagnant air.

"Oi, Murasakibara, quit crying. It's annoying."

"Mine-chin, you're the one crying."

"Am not. It's Kise."

"I…I miss Momocchi and Kotomicchi." Kuroko and Midorima were silent, but Akashi could feel how terrible they felt. Of course, they were acting strong in front of the girls. They couldn't let them worry anymore than they had to, but now the weight of their duty bore down on their young shoulders like a bag of cement.

"Our girls are strong. They'll be alright. The best we can do is make this place safer for them to grow up in. We're doing a great thing. They know that, too."

"Akashicchi…" The red-headed young man smiled as he patted Murasakibara's back comfortingly, trying to ignore the tiny ball of unease resting in his stomach. He had a better idea of what was coming than the others.

"We're strong, too. That's why we just have to endure. This is our chance to make a change in the world. And protect the things that are precious to us." At this, some of the tears dried, as they were able to picture a smiling pair of girls waiting at home for them. While the mood did not lighten, they didn't break down, thanks to Akashi's steadfast certainty and the memories of home.

* * *

Kotomi helped Momoi fall asleep after she had some tea and was done crying. And then Kotomi had a driver take her to the hospital, which was fielding the applications for medical occupations. The butler had said the paperwork was complete and she didn't have to do anything else but sign it. But as Kotomi set the papers out in front of her, heart and head heavy with her worries renewed and no Akashi to soothe them.

 _Is this really all I can do...?_ She asked herself bitterly, lowering her pen to sign her adolescence away to years of watching war victims die, unable to do much else. But inspiration struck her yet again, just as she was about to sign. She swallowed hard as her pen hovered over one of the sections of the paper. There was no way they'd find out unless she told them, or until it was too late. So it was now or never.

 _ **Name:**_ **Fujisaki Kotomi**

 _ **Age:**_ **13**

 _ **Occupation of Choice:**_ **Medic.**

 _ **(If Applicable) On Site or Off Site:**_

 **ON SITE/BATTLEFIELD**

* * *

 _1 Japan_

 _2 China_

 _3 Kise and Kotomi are thinking this about the other haha_

 _4 In Japan, the Diet is the legislative party, but in this context I am referring to the oligarchy which runs the infrastructure and resources_

 _Author's Note: I am much happier with this chapter. When I first wrote this, it was only my second story after several years. So it took me some time to get back into the groove and really grasp my writing style again. So I hope these rewrites are worth the wait! If you've got any thoughts, feel free to leave a review!_

 _ **Thanks for the favorites, reviews and follows!**_

JessiexDKuroNeko

PortgasDTatze

minionsweg

luckyhgirl

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Freak1510

lilith20047

Anime Sports Lover

Icy Cream

The only one who can beat me

Aphremis C: Omg make sure you're breathing haha. So glad you enjoyed! I myself love angst and fluff so I feel these comments in my SOUL. I am cold-hearted bitch though, so the torture will continue for everyone, including me LOL. TBH, if I could make every story of mine a reverse harem ending I absolutely would. All jokes aside, thank you so much for your sweet comment! I am so excited to continue writing! Stay strong, try not to die before the climax of the story please; or, you know, don't die at all because I would be very upset ^^;;

PortgasDTatze: Thank you for reading, and staying by the story! I hope the rewrite continues to be good!

lilith20047: I feel really bad about restarting the series, so I hope it's worth it in the end! Please continue to support this story and thank you so much for your praise!

Anime Sports Lover : BBY is u ok please sleep and get some rest 3


	2. Fateful Meetings and Rocky Greetings

**Authors Note: Hey there again! Welcome to the revised version of chapter 2! I hope this version is better than the last, and makes more sense in the larger scheme of things. I forgot how much I loved the interactions here. It goes without saying that I'm probably not going to keep the word count limit on myself anymore. I'm just going to write until I feel like it's enough. I hope this helps with the quality of the writing as well!**

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Fateful Meetings and Rocky Greetings**

 **Citadel Training Grounds**

As the black van pulled into the training grounds near the border of the territory, the grass was now faded from green to a dry, pale, bone-colored off-white. There were no more trees, with the exception of a forest in the heart of the compound. There was only barbed wire and antennae. It was such a far cry for them, who had been coming up on a decade on living wealthily. Kise shuddered at the sight, holding himself.

"Talk about dreary…"

"It's to be expected of a military base…we are likely the closest to the Wasteland than anyone else." Midorima was just as displeased. They were escorted to the lineup of other males from other areas of the city, all standing straight and silent, though their eyes read anxiety, fear, and apprehension. As the 6 young men came to join the last line, out stepped an elderly man from the main building, followed by a young man with dark hair and sharp steely eye, both in color and mettle. Both stood in a sturdy, broad shouldered stance which spoke of a long and successful career.

The elderly man was nothing like the elderly they had seen before, not even Akashi's father. Despite his wrinkled skin, his wispy white hair and his neatly trimmed beard, the man was muscled even through his uniform, but not that it hindered his mobility. He was glowing even brighter with vigor than some of the trainees, and his commanding disposition left them attentive with reverence.

"Welcome," he greeted with a booming voice, leaving a pregnant pause in the air as he surveyed the crowd before him. "I am General Shirogane Kozo, and this is Major Nijimura Shuzo, who will be your reporting officer while you're training. You should all be grateful to him, and treat him with respect. He is an extraordinary soldier, and the youngest to ever become a Major. He specifically requested the position to grind you all to dust and mold you into men worthy of rising in our ranks." The young man bowed slightly and nodded towards the trainees; arms crossed behind his back.

"Wow," Aomine was unable to keep the awe from showing on his face. "He's young, he probably isn't much older than us..." But most of the others were tensed at the General's words. Not everyone received the same education or training, after all.

 _They get smaller and mousier every year._ The younger officer scowled to himself and glanced at some of the cadets, their faces paling at his pronounced frown and sharp downward turn of his brow. _Figures. These little punks are supposed to end this damn war? Give me a break._

His silvery eyes fell on five rainbow colored heads. He recognized the son of the former Lieutenant General Akashi Masaomi; and, he assumed that the rest were the charges he took in years ago. Naturally, they had heard nothing but praise for these young men, but Nijimura just saw them as a couple more brats. At least, they _looked_ athletic. _If we can put some more muscle on those bones..._

Also catching his eye was a pair of young men standing beside one another. The redheaded young man with a fierce, fiery look in his eye seemed slightly more outstanding than his icier, cooler dark-haired counterpart, but it seemed as if both had a sufficient amount of potential as well, as well as a few others. Nijimura stepped forward. When he spoke, his voice boomed with confidence as well, beyond his apparent age.

"First we'd like to thank you for the time you're about to spend here. It won't be easy, but I expect you all to work hard to expand our territory and finally put an end to this chaos. That being said, we'll be doing things a little differently this year." This finally caused a soft murmur of confusion to wash over the crowd, as expected, but Nijimura kept talking.

"Typically, we give you three years of practical training before sending you out into the field, but with the current war efforts and the enemy's proximity to the border, we've decided that the first two years is enough." All sound stopped as it everyone processed very quickly what that meant.

"The third year, a squadron leader will take you on your first mission outside the border, where you will face the enemy head on."

* * *

 **Akashi Residence**

The world whispered in the hours after Kuroko and the others left. It insisted something was wrong, something was _off_ , murmuring in Kotomi's ear as she tried to busy herself. After she dropped off her application, she walked aimlessly down the streets in her regret. What was she thinking? She had never directly disobeyed Akashi's father to this extent before! How could she? She owed him everything. And it wasn't as if she had some powerful affinity for being a medic, like Momoi did for being an analyst. No matter how she spun the tale, there was no other explanation other than insolence.

"Haaah...this is troublesome." Kotomi whined, running her fingers through her hair. "I can already hear Daiki laughing at...me..." Not. _Right...they're not here, right now. I'm on my own._ Kotomi lowered her hands from her hair as she took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. "When the protagonist in my books look up at the sky, the answers to their problems come." She said to no one in particular. When nothing came, Kotomi whined to no one in particular again. _Ryota would pat my head...no, Kotomi! Stop thinking about it!_ She slapped her cheeks harder than she meant to, now whining in pain and frustration. What could she even do? She brought this on herself. She was on her own.

But she had already tried to retrieve the paper. Even with her status as an honorary 'Akashi', the hospital staff didn't budge, and refused to return her application. So, there was no helping that. Worse, she didn't know if she could lie or hide her mistake from Momoi. Luckily, the pink haired girl was so distraught that she failed to confess to Kuroko before he left that Momoi holed up in her room and refused to come out.

Unfortunately, this left Kotomi alone with her own thoughts. A terrible development, surely.

* * *

 **Akashi Residence - Library**

Kotomi camped out in the library that night, curled up on the couch where she used to sit with Midorima and Kuroko, and fell asleep with their favorite children's books providing her a pillow. She was awoken in the middle of the night by hushed voices outside the closed door. Kotomi sat up and rubbed her eyes, as if it would improve her hearing of the barely audible voices.

 **["I think Kotomi-chan fell asleep in there." A maid whispered. "She must miss them too much..."**

" **Satsuki-chan refused dinner...poor things, the little misses have always been so attached to the boys. I miss them, too..."]**

Kotomi bit her lip as she felt her stomach coil up into a tightly wound ball of wire.

 _I don't need to be reminded..._

 **["Ohh, what is Akashi-sama thinking!? Those boys didn't have to fight! They should stay here and get married! What will he do if they all-!"**

" **Hush! You know not to talk like that. The Akashi family has always done its duty to the Citadel, and it must continue to do so. They'll surely return."**

" **But things aren't getting better, they're recruiting younger and younger, less people are coming home..."]**

Kotomi felt the coil in her stomach expand, and she quickly plopped back onto the couch. She closed her eyes and pulled a cushion out to cover her ears with it, so she didn't have to hear any more. Sadly, it was too late. She felt the tears rise in her eyes and she curled in on herself. He breathing was getting louder and more frantic as she felt the panic set in.

Her skin itched but burned.

Her eyes stung.

Her face felt hot.

Her lungs begged for her to stop breathing so much air, but cried from the lack of oxygen.

Her heart was ready to pop out of her chest.

 _Come home._

 _Come home._

 _Come home._

It hurt. She couldn't sit still. Kotomi bolted up in her seat, and in the process, she knocked the books onto the floor. Rapid footsteps and harsh whispers retreating announced the maids' departure.

As if possessed by a force, Kotomi practically threw herself atop the writing desk and pulled out a stack of papers. She grabbed a pen and wrote out her schedule for the next three years. She wasn't going to waste the life she was given by wallowing in her lack of skill. When Kuroko and the others returned, she was going to be someone worthy of standing beside them as an equal!

 _Just you wait!_

* * *

 **Citadel-City Downtown**

The next day, Kotomi went into town alone. She had invited Momoi, but she was already back at work. The Statistics Bureau loved her and took her in as an intern during the weekends. Surely after they finished their mandatory schooling at 16, she would become part of the Analytics Team. In addition to cram school focusing solely medical skills and knowledge, she knew she had to continue working on her regular studies as well.

And somehow, she had to keep Akashi's father from finding out about her application. For once, she was relieved that he was so distant from the children he took in.

Even luckier her training as a medic began in a year. In her third year, she would finally be working with patients fresh from an assigned warzone on the border between the Citadel and the Wastelands. Only after passing the examinations and the training program could she begin her work as an on-field medic, where she would actually be entering battlefields and extracting the injured and providing support to the doctors.

Then she would be able to help her friends, even if she knew that they would be furious about her entering the war without telling them. If they died, she would live her whole life angry with herself that she didn't do anything to protect their future together. As Kotomi walked, she brought a hand to her chest as she felt the aches of loneliness threaten to cripple her again.

 _I want to see you all._

" _Keep coming to this tree and read like you always do. And think of us._ " Midorima's words resonated in her chest and gave her strength. That was right. This was their home, after all. They were not here with her, but there was one place where they spent every day together. A place where reality couldn't pester her. That was close enough for now, and that was more than the boys had.

So, she purchased the books she needed for her cram school and went for the city's outskirts, determined to not let this absence hinder her growth. She couldn't idly sit by while everyone was hard at work, after all. Everything was going to be fine. If she just kept her head down and did her work, everything would work out. Everything would become normal again.

* * *

Or so she thought.

Kotomi didn't know what to think when she arrived at the plum tree; its blossoms were still in full bloom, branches swaying in greeting. That much remained the same. But the newest addition to her regular haunt completely disillusioned her attempt at escaping a reality where Kuroko and the others were far from her side.

 _Someone else was here. In our spot._

Her nose wrinkled in disdain at the messy head of brown which occupied her spot. As she approached, she squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. No big tall Atsushi to scare off the undesirables. She didn't say anything at first; Atsushi never had to say anything to make someone move out of his way. She had always wanted to try it. But the figure sitting made no move to even look her way. Instead, he spoke while gazing into the distance.

"Looks like a little bird has appeared. Is this your usual perch?" His voice was relaxed, almost teasing. His back was to her as he leaned up against the bark of the tree. His hands rested behind his head. A cool breeze rustled the mop of chocolate brown. "First come, first serve."

"Who are you? This is our spot; you can't just come here as you please." Kotomi was smarter than this, but her emotions were all out of align. Instead of accusatory, she sounded exasperated. She knew that no one really _owned_ this place, but she still felt like it was stolen from her, and it distressed her so much that she clenched her fists in frustration.

She just wanted to feel normal and _this wasn't normal._

"We always come here." She protested again. "You're _not_ allowed!" The newcomer stood up slowly and revealed himself dressed in only a sweater and a tattered pair of jeans. He seemed like a regular civilian, likely the outskirts.

"I was here first, today." He finally turned to look at her, opening calm, half-lidded chocolate brown eyes to scan her up and down. The snarky curve of his lips seemed to become even more so as he appraised her. Kotomi admitted to herself with a scowl that he was pretty. Not in the model kind of pretty like Kise, but a boyish kind of pretty. Maybe she could have admired his appearance if he weren't impeding on her favorite spot with her friends on a terrible day.

"I'm here first all the time." She countered.

"But not today, little bird." He touched his hand to his chin as he looked her up and down and chuckled. "I don't like relaxing alone, so how about we cuddle together under this tree? Sounds pretty romantic, huh?" There was something ingenuine about his offer, though she would have declined regardless of his tone. But she didn't know what this tone was, and it made her anxious. She decided to answer honestly.

"No, it sounds rather unpleasant, actually."

"My, that's kind of rude, my heart is broken~" He laughed, pressing a hand to his temple as if he were distraught. But the lack of humor in his laugh only made her wary. Kotomi wasn't going to leave, but neither was he. She couldn't scare him away.

"Then let's coexist and be done with this. I am not in the mood." With that, she walked over and plopped down, sitting on the other side of the tree. She picked up her books, opening up a notebook at the same time to take notes. The young man seemed surprised, much to Kotomi's satisfaction. It was short-lived, however, as he walked over and sat beside her, leaning over her shoulder to look at her book.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Studying." She flipped through the books so quickly that the boy's eyes widened slightly. Was she reading it all? But he quickly recovered, leaning in closer. It had the desired effect, as Kotomi's shoulders rose ever closer to her ears.

"Hmm…medicine, huh? You want to be a medic for the military, then?" Kotomi slammed her book closed and looked at him, cornflower blue met chocolate brown with a passive, but unyielding gaze. But it was obvious she was fighting to stay in control of herself.

"It's rude not to introduce yourself to someone before you ask so many questions."

"You're so cold, even though you're so pretty. That's not very cute, you know, Kotori-chan." Kotomi bristled and she glared slightly at him. The nickname resembled her real name so quickly, and she didn't like the idea of being so familiar with someone who wasn't any of her boys. "But I don't see why I have to identify myself to you when _you're_ the one who came suddenly and asked _me_ to leave."

Kotomi pursed her lips, as there was nothing she could retort to in his reasoning. She was wary of this stranger; not because of his taunts, and not because of his proximity. It was the look in his eyes. They had just met, and yet she had never seen such unveiled disdain before. She knew that kids in school envied their position, and disliked them because of it. She knew that girls disliked herself and Momoi because they envied thier closeness to all the boys, especially Kise and Akashi. But she had never seen _this_ kind of disdain before. He looked at her like she was trash.

"Why are you here?" She finally asked. The offending look melted away into an amicable smile that failed to calm Kotomi down, but he settled back into his resting position as he stared up into the sky.

"Just felt like staring at the sky. But as I thought, it's lonely to do it alone, isn't it?" There was a warning in Kotomi's gut. Like he was going to breach a wall she didn't want him to touch. "No friends?"

"…" Kotomi opened her book, hoping drown him out. _Don't react. That's what he wants,_ her mind reasoned.

"Ah, I see. They went to war, didn't they?" Her nails started to dig into the spine of her book as she gritted her teeth.

 _I just want it to be normal…_

"The military is scary, isn't it? Your friends will probably get killed out there."

 _Normal._

"You really don't feel anything?"

 _Please stop._ Kotomi tasted copper in her mouth and she realized she was biting her lip so hard it bled, to keep her reaction behind a sealed mouth.

"How lucky it must be for you, Kotori-chan, all you have to do is sit here and look—"

 _ **WHACK.**_

Her hand moved before her brain processed. Without warning, Kotomi swung her book at him with all the force she could manage in her muscles. But she didn't hear what should have been be a satisfying cry of pain. Instead, she heard a derisive chuckle, and couldn't stop him as his much stronger arm pushed the book back towards her.

"Nice try, little Kotori-chan, but you'll have to try a little harder." He stood up, looming over her with a smug, victorious, and spiteful smile. Kotomi her face turns hot with shame and bewilderment. What had she ever done to him? Why was he doing this? "What's wrong? Gonna cry? Don't you want to hit me? You can't can you? All _you_ can do is read your books." Kotomi felt that her eyes were going to start stinging, but she dug her nails into her notes to fight the urge.

"Oi." The new voice turned both their heads towards the horizon. Kotomi looked surprised, while her 'companion' seemed less amused, and more annoyed. A young man with sharp features, not even including his spiky, short hair, dressed in an olive-green jacket over a hoodie, stood just a few feet away. He surveyed the scene, his expression reading irritation, but for who, Kotomi had no idea. Even though he seemed more magnanimous towards her presence, Kotomi felt intimidated by this newcomer, without him even looking at her.

"Are you seriously antagonizing random girls now?" The brunette boy's personality took a sudden turn, as he wildly and childishly whined at the new visitor, even stomping his foot and gesturing wildly to her as if she was obviously guilty of some crime.

"She tried to hit me, Iwa-chan!"

"Because you're a crappy guy and probably did something suspicious."

"You're supposed to take my side on this!" The spiky haired boy's expression became murderous, almost comically so. Both Kotomi and this supposed "crappy guy" backed up on instinct.

" **Lets. Go."** He practically snarled. The young man bowed his head in defeat and walked away from Kotomi, to her relief, and was met with a shocking fist to the head from whoever this boy was. He shoved the brunette's head down before Kotomi in a bow.

"Sorry about this guy." Kotomi blinked a few times, as if unable to believe what was going on. The pretty one behaved like some territorial beast, and the scary one was apologizing on his behalf? Kotomi only nodded absentmindedly, and watched as the two boys bickered back and forth about why the brunette needed to apologize.

"She's the one who came and bothered me, Iwa-chan! You don't know the whole story!"

"Shut up, Shittykawa."

"You're so mean!"

"You shouldn't even be here, dumbass." _No kidding,_ Kotomi couldn't help thinking. But she knew better than to re-escalate a problem that was quite obviously being handled. Watching fights between Aomine, Kise, and Murasakibara was enough to teach her that simple lesson.

"I was obviously escaping Iwa-chan, because he's a brute-ouch! _OUCH!_ Okay, I'll stop!" Kotomi bit her lip and takes a deep breath, closing her eyes. Coming today felt like a failure of her objectives.

"I guess I'll be going, then…" The brunette announced before he looked to Kotomi, and smirked handsomely at her again, though there was no less animosity in it than before. However, the effect was extremely diminished after she watched his punishment at the hand of his friend. She only raised a brow. Thanks to this stranger, she regained her nerves. "I hope we don't meet again, Kotori-chan!~" He turned to leave, his friend tossed her a look over his shoulder, but she couldn't put a word to the expression.

"Kotomi." The two stopped to look at her when her voice came out, louder than the voice she had spoken with before, but with less authority and more civility than was necessary, considering what just transpired.

Her eyes bored into theirs as if she was studying them and committing their visages to her memory. The wind picked up and her hair whipped to the side, cobalt blue seemed to flare through the veil of black on her face a bit. Despite the brightness of the day, the air seemed chilly, somehow, even though both boys felt the heat of the sun caressing their skin.

"Hah?" The brunette didn't look impressed by her show of bravado, though his friend seemed a little more interested, if not wary.

"My name is Fujisaki Kotomi. I came here every day with my friends, but now they're off fighting. I'm going to protect this place until they come back, and I'm going to do what I need to, no matter how many angry little boys come to pester me."

"Angry little boys, huh...?" A smirk appeared on the brunette's lips, as if he was witnessing a humming bird as it struggled in vein to assert its supposed dominance over a perching hawk, before the hawk's beak snapped shut on that pretty, tiny little body.

"Well then, Fujisaki _Kotori-chan,_ my name is the Great Oikawa. And I'm claiming your spot whether you like it or not. So, don't come here again, if you know what's good for you."

"I always come here at lunchtime." This caught them both off guard this time, but Kotomi remained unfettered as she smiled. "I'll extend an invitation to you. Now you're here because I requested it."

 _Sorry, Sei-kun. You always told me not to be so petty. Just this once._

"Are you inviting me…to come back?" Oikawa asked with suspicion. _I don't know how to deal with that kind of attitude…_ Oikawa was clearly frustrated that the tables had turned. He really only came here to relax, and he wanted to make her squirm in retaliation for having interrupted him with some childish bullshit about this being _her_ tree. _Seriously,_ what kind of rich kid attitude was that? Thinking you _own_ a tree? And now she was playing the gracious hostess?

"That's right." Kotomi confirmed. She knew he wasn't going to stop coming, and she was a master at outstubborning the stubborn kids. Whoever backed out first lost.

Oikawa was plotting as well. He knew that his friend wanted him to refuse, but an invitation to torment her wasn't an awful way to spend his free time. He grinned triumphantly.

"Alright," He said as he turned to go, hands on his hips as he started heading in the opposite direction of the city with his comrade. "Then I'll be back here to bother you tomorrow, _Kotori-chan."_

"Thank you… _Shittykawa."_ He choked a little but by the time he turned around with a scowl on his lips, she was already running off, books tucked under her arm. She didn't even glance back. He watched with a petulant frown, and shouted after her.

"My name is Oikawa Tooru, you better remember that!"

What a little brat…

"Pft!" The young man beside him covered his mouth with his arm, like he was covering up a sneeze.

"Iwa-chan, don't laugh, that was your fault-ACK!" Iwaizumi had jabbed him in the side.

"I don't think you're so stupid that you'd do this without reason." As Oikawa's expression relaxed and his lips turned up into a smirk, Iwaizumi eyed him suspiciously.

"Of course not. She seems just dumb enough to think that she could be useful." Iwaizumi scoffed.

"You're a really terrible guy, I feel almost sorry for her."

* * *

 **Citadel Training Grounds-8 Hours Away**

"Too slow!" Nijimura shouted down at a young man who fell during the obstacle course. "The 2 trainees with the lowest evaluations don't get dinner at the end of the week! If you keep failing, you'll starve!" The next week it would be the 4 lowest scores, the next week 6. There was no time for an adjustment period, as they were all finding out.

Nijimura looked up into the blazing sun and cursed under his breath. The news didn't advertise how bad the war situation was really getting. The number of soldiers dying outnumbered the number of trainees they got, and the gap grew with every passing year. There was already too much talk going around the higher ups.

Talk of starting training at 12-years-old. Talk of pulling back from the established bases so many died to secure and concentrating on fortifying the border. Talk of increasing the birth rate through what the less than palatable generals called "baby farms." All those options left a bitter taste in Nijimura's mouth, but he couldn't do anything about it. There was no solution and only bad answers. And he wasn't willing to abandon his post, in memory of his father.

If this was the only way he could help the war effort, then so be it. Better than having done nothing. He grabbed the young boy by the collar and yanked him to his feet as he gave him a less than gentle shove.

"If you fall, no one will come to pick you up! You're bullet shields for your stronger comrades!" His words echoed through the camp which pushed the young boys to move faster. "Act as if you'll die if you don't complete this course!" He turned to look at the end of the course, but his eyes were drawn to a flash of dark blue that flew by him. He turned his head to watch as the tanned teenager expertly leapt over hurdles, crawled under barbed wire, and carried the 75lb sandbag over the barrier wall, through the monkey bars, and through the mud in record time, even faster than Nijimura himself did when he was a trainee. He looked at the numbers on the young man's jacket and the corresponding name list, writing underneath it.

 _Aomine Daiki. Fast and agile._

"Fuck yeah!" Aomine shouted as he throws the sandbag at the ground, sweating and panting only after completing the course, as if he moved so quickly his body's reactions needed time to catch up.

 _Also, loud and needs discipline._

* * *

"Evading traps is a double-edged sword, but it's a good risk to take when you're avoiding enemies. But treat every unknown situation or unknown territory as if there is death at every turn." Honey brown eyes scanned the dirt carefully. The mines underneath was fake but exploded a ghastly red powder to simulate the range of a real explosion. If you got it on other people, your score for the entire course was 0 for today. Kise watched Akashi, who seemed to deliberate for moment before he quickly ran across; his footwork impeccable, graceful, and quick as he crossed the course without setting off a single mine.

It was all Kise needed. With a crack of his knuckles and a deep breath, he ran across with the same exact movements as Akashi. Nijimura watched with an impressed smirk, though it was quick to disappear as the blonde spotted Aomine, who ran fast enough across that he set off several mines without so much as getting a fleck on him, but through a path that didn't put anyone in range of the blast. Kise waved ecstatically, jumping up and down.

"Aominecchi!~ Did you see that!?"

"Shut up, Kise!"

 _Kise Ryota. Observant and quick to memorize, but too flashy._

* * *

The gunfire sent smoke into the air and into their lungs as they tried to fire at the targets about 50, 100 150, 175 and 200 meters away, the furthest being the approximate distance of the average trench battle on the border and enemy lines. Nijimura stared with disapproval at the bullet holes outside the targets and stray bullets which littered the floor, but he spotted a green head which stood stiller than most, held steady, and fired with excellent accuracy at the 150-meter mark. He got head and heart shots with increasing accuracy. However, the shots only occurred every minute or so. Not to mention, that bespectacled boy was carrying…a can of air freshener?

 _Midorima Shintaro. Excellent shot, but slow to fire…why the air freshener?_

* * *

Nijimura's eyebrows shot up when he spotted the purple haired giant lift one of the weight machines at least a foot off the ground. He did this with almost every machine about 20 minutes into the muscle conditioning workout, sometimes even with people sitting _on_ it. Question was, what exactly was he looking for?

"Murasakibara, what seems to be the problem?" Nijimura approached him with a wary expression, a little concerned over how somber the young man seemed. Murasakibara groaned, his darkened expression meeting Captain Nijimura's.

"I had a red bean bun in my pocket, but I think it fell out." Nijimura's eyebrow twitched, and he opened his mouth to start lecturing him.

"Murasakibara," Akashi approached the purple haired teen with a disapproving look. "Now is not the time. Finish the work out first."

"But my bun…"

"Would you rather run laps without dinner at the end of the week?"

"…" Begrudgingly, Murasakibara ceased his search and departed to complete his bench pressing. Akashi glanced at Nijimura and bowed slightly, heading off to complete his own work out. Nijimura's lip twitched, threatening a smile.

 _Murasakibara Atsushi. Strong, but food motivated and childish._

 _Akashi Seijuro. Top scores and great leadership. No problems_.

* * *

In the middle of the forest surrounding the training camp, Nijimura climbed and vaulted over large roots and fallen trees, as well as the dilapidated swing set and the hood of an old car. This had once been a park, but a bomb dropped in the area at the beginning of the war decimated most of the area. Reconstruction of this area of the city had taken about 75 years to complete, but the old park that had been destroyed was repurposed for training grounds. He had all the trainees searching the entire park.

The 2 lowest scores at the end of this week would get no dinner, but anyone who managed to hit him with a paint ball during within the time limit of 20 minutes was automatically granted exemption from the ranking and given special privileges for that week. Nijimura felt the reward was equivalent to the difficulty in catching him. Therefore, he had to be even more difficult to catch. If any trainee could catch him the way they were right now, he had no right to call himself a Major.

"Hn," Nijimura smirked a little as his ears perked to the sound of an approaching trainee. He flexed his muscles in anticipation, being completely unarmed. "Charging me so loudly like that? They really are children." He leapt back from the brush just as the tall red-headed boy shot out from them, easily dodging a broad, large swing using a plastic knife, wet and shiny with red ink staining the sides. If Nijimura had a weapon, the teen would already be dead, seeing as he left himself open like that.

"Shit! I missed!" _Kagami Taiga. Fast, good power, but too hot-headed and easy to read._ Another rustle surprised Nijimura during his mental notes, but as the young man with a beauty mark under his eye emerged from the bushes, paint gun at the ready, Nijimura grinned wildly. The look made the dark-haired boy take a step back, which allowed Nijimura to turn and grab his arm. He squeezed so tight and twisted his arm so that when he pulled the trigger, it hits Kagami in the leg.

Himuro Tatsuya. _Calm and collected, excellent athletics, hardworking, but shows no confidence._ _Beautiful man, though._

Nijimura pulled Himuro's arm behind his back and wrapped a strong forearm around his throat while standing behind him. Kagami stopped his assault and stood in front of him, glaring heatedly.

"Tatsuya!"

"He'd be dead if this was a real encounter. Both of you would be. You had a plan, but not only didn't you fail to follow through, you didn't have a backup if you didn't work. An enemy won't overlook that, so you have to outthink them and yourselves at every turn. At the very least, you should at least learn to move a little quieter." Suddenly, Nijimura got this chilling, sinking feeling in his stomach, the kind he only felt on the battlefield _._ He turned quickly, pulling Himuro with him, which allowed him to narrowly dodge the plastic blade that would have marked his chest, if it weren't for the young man standing in front of him. Just then, the siren marked the end of the exercise, with no one managing to catch their captain.

All three males stared at the new arrival with wide eyes as he stepped out fully from the woods; meanwhile, impassive baby blue surveyed the situation. After a long pause, Kagami spoke first.

"When…when did you get here!?" Kagami's voice echoed a little as Nijimura released Himuro and walked quickly over to his clipboard to figure out just who the hell this guy was.

"I've been here."

 _That's impossible,_ Nijimura thought as he took note of the boy's ID numbers. Kuroko Tetsuya… _His scores are so low! How did he manage to catch me off guard like that?_ He seemed a bit incredulous.

"How long have you been there, Kuroko?" Baby blue met steely silver.

"Since before you got here."

"Hah? Then why didn't you attack?" Kagami looked quite perplexed. If he was here the whole time, how did he not notice this guy as he was sneaking around?

"Because the Major never let his guard down."

"You guys can discuss that at dinner," Nijimura advised as he wrote on his clipboard, expression unreadable. Attacking the moment, the enemy's attention was diverted elsewhere…pretty good for a rookie. "Head to the showers for now."

"Yes sir." A smile appeared on the Major's lips as the three head off back to the living quarters. He had never felt so glad to be wrong about an initial assessment as he made his notes on the first two, and then the dark horse who appeared at just the last second. If this hadn't been a timed event, he would have been marked eventually.

 _Kuroko Tetsuya. Average, barely noticeable, but…there's promise._ It looked like this year's trainees were insane, in all kinds of ways. Perhaps this was the year for things to start changing, for better or for worse.

* * *

 **Akashi Residence**

Open bags of biscuits and snacks surround empty cups of juice, tea, and open textbooks and papers scattered the floor of Kotomi's bedroom. Momoi was laying on her stomach, hugging a pillow at the foot of the bed while Kotomi leaned against the foot board acting as a backrest. A book on emergency medical treatment sat open and forgotten as Momoi fumed adorably, cheeks puffed and dainty fists pounding the mattress in frustration.

"This Oikawa person sounds so awful! Kotomi-chan! If I were there, I would have beat him up!" Kotomi giggled as Momoi gnawed on a biscuit in irritation.

"I'm not particularly devastated about what he thinks. I just thought it was shocking."

"Obviously he's jealous!" Momoi pouted childishly. "We do have it easier than a lot of other people do, what with Akashi-kun's family taking such good care of us. But it's isn't like we really had a choice in coming here! He's not worth the time, Koto-chan!"

"I know, but I don't think that's it…" The opinions of strangers and their petty emotions hardly fazed her, but this was different. He seemed envious, yes, but there had to be more. "He just felt different."

"How so?" Kotomi pursed her lips at Momoi's question.

"Even if you ask me directly like that, I wouldn't be able to tell you." She wanted to peel back the layers, one by one, to find the core of what could give him such an expression. She was sure of that and…"But..."

"But?"

"He was quite beautiful, as well. It's a shame he looks so ugly when he's means."

"Right!?" Momoi blinked as she registered Kotomi's words, looking at her and blinking in disbelief. "That Shittykawa guy?"

"Mhm…" Wild brown eyes, messy hair, strong jawline. He still had a boyish air about him, not to mention he seemed pretty mature like Akashi and childish like Kise all at the same time. "He had a rotten personality, though." Momoi looked terrified. Being pursued by the boys for 5 years and Kotomi fell in love with a bully she met once!?

"You're a weird girl, Koto-chan."

"I can tell when someone is pretty, it doesn't mean that I like him or think he's any less rude and awful."

"It's a good thing Tetsu-kun and the others weren't there to hear about this." Momoi didn't even try to hide the sad notes in her voice, missing her friends deeply. Especially that powder blue haired boy with a mysterious aura and a kind voice. Kotomi giggled a little at the thought.

Kise and Aomine would have tried to meet that boy there again to "teach him a lesson," but Akashi and Midorima would have ensured that they couldn't cause any more trouble than there already was. Kuroko would have been attentive to Kotomi. He always made sure she felt safe and loved. Murasakibara would have tried to offer her snacks as consolation, and when she smiled, the day would be saved. She needed to prove to herself that she could protect them and the place they loved. That's why she couldn't back off.

"They're quite reliable, aren't they?" Her tender smile didn't escape Momoi's watchful eye, who smiled in return and blushed slightly.

"I don't want to worry about things like that while they're away training to fight, Satsuki-chan…" Fear flashed through Momoi's face as she looked up at the ceiling again, biting her bottom lip.

"That's right, they'll be going to war, once they're done." The conversation took a turn in an upsetting direction. Momoi sat up quickly, biting her thumb nail."Kotomi-chan, what will we do? What will we do if they…if they get hurt?"

"Then I'll heal them. I'll protect them. I won't let them die and leave us." Kotomi scooted closer to her best friend and rubbed her back, pulling Momoi's hand away from her lips. The very thought burned her throat as she swallowed hard and shook her head. "I'll do whatever I have to. That's why I have to work hard."

"But you won't be there to help them."

"Yes, I will."

"Not all the time. You'll be at the medical centers, right?" Kotomi didn't answer. Momoi scrutinized solemn Kotomi, her eyes wide. "Right?"

"About that..." Kotomi smiled sheepishly. Momoi groaned and slapped a hand over her eyes.

"Kotomi, they told us to stay out of the war zones, you can't."

"I submitted my application a while ago, I can't pull out, now. I'm going to be an on-site medic." Momoi slapped her hands onto the mattress. The bed bounced lightly in response to the sudden shock.

"Kotomi!"

"I won't sit and let them fight and get hurt without doing anything." Kotomi defended herself.

"Then join me with the analysts, or stay within the safe zones! You can't go out there, Kotomi, we're not like them! And we'll only be a burden if they know!"

"That's why they can't find out." Kotomi turned to look at her friend, eyes pleading as she held Momoi's hands in both of hers. "Please, Satsuki. I'm not like you. I don't understand patterns in numbers and I certainly can't choose who goes to war. I won't sit in the safe zone when they're out fighting, either."

"Kotomi…"

"All my life, you guys have protected me and kept me safe. If I can protect them when they need it the most, then I can feel at ease. Let me help them. For them, for us." Momoi bit her lip and looked like she was ready to cry.

"But what if _you_ get hurt, out there?" Kotomi paused. She had no answer for that. She couldn't find someone to teach her. Of course, Akashi's father knew of her enrollment, but not her role since she changed it on her own.

"I'll…do my best."

"Kotomi, that's not good enough. If you get hurt, it will destroy them. They're fighting hard for us, and what will they do if they come home and find out you're hurt, or worse?" Kotomi remembered the time that she had fallen from a tree when they were 11. She had been hiding from Akashi during a game of hide and seek, and slipped and fell, knocking herself unconscious in the fall. When she awoke, everyone was in hysterics. Even the ever-silent Kuroko was unable to stop sniffling even after she woke up, and Kise refused to leave her alone. They wouldn't even let her play hide and seek for almost a month. She could only imagine the chaos, now.

"You're right…but that won't stop me. I love them, Momoi. I'm willing to risk everything for them." Momoi blushed at this, holding her cheeks. Of course, she understood the kind of love she was thinking of wasn't the same as what Kotomi was thinking of, but knowing how they likely felt for her made her cheeks heat up. Momoi hummed a little and rocked back and forth to self soothe. It was time to discuss something else. It was getting too dark. Momoi sighed a little too loud, and this caused Kotomi to raise an eyebrow at her, seeming unimpressed with her "attempt" at being inconspicuous about changing subjects.

Most notably, without promising that she wasn't going to tell.

"Satsuki…" She took a sip from her lukewarm tea, if only not to waste the drink that the maids had so kindly brewed for them.

"I just want to know…if it _did_ come up…which one would you marry?"

" _ **What?"**_ Kotomi choked on her tea, grasping at her chest and quickly setting the cup down before she dropped and ruined it. She was only 13, and her life had barely begun, why would she start thinking about marriage now?

"Ki-chan always talks about marrying you!" Momoi looked incredulous at her surprise.

"I can't even think about them any other way!"

"How do you even see them, anyway?"

"…cousins?"

 _Guys, I'm so sorry you're in love with such a confusing girl…_

"W-well, why do I even have to get married!?"

"It'd be a waste if you didn't have children, Koto-chan!"

"Ahhhh! No!" Kotomi's face flushed red and she hid her face. Momoi laughed triumphantly. Serious talk averted!

 _Okay, Satsuki-chan, two can play at that game!_ Kotomi placed a finger to her chin, simulating deep thought.

"If I could only choose from our group then...Tetsuya?" Momoi gasped and shook her head frantically, throwing her arms around Kotomi in panic.

"No! You don't have to get married, Kotomi! You're perfectly capable of being a strong, capable woman without a man beside you!" Kotomi laughed and threw her arms around the peach-scented girl.

"How about I steal you from Tetsuya, Sa-chan?" Momoi laughed as well, falling backwards on the bed as both tried to forget the sense of foreboding for the near future for all of them. Even as they played, Kotomi felt a twinge of guilt, which Momoi likely intended.

 _I need to learn how to fight._

* * *

 **Citadel Training Grounds - Mess Hall**

" _A….Achoo!"_ Aomine jerked his tray of food away from Kise with a heated glare as he protected the food with his life.

"Oi, don't tell me you're getting sick, already?"

"No, I'm not! Someone must be talking about me!" Kise whined. "I'm sure my fans are missing me from school, already!"

"Die, Kise-chin." Murasakibara drawled while eating his food. While Kise gasped childishly at the cruel verbal abuse, Kuroko met up with his friends in the mess hall, sitting down to a sumptuous meal of vegetables and large steaks. What with the declining numbers of trainees, the quality of food became almost the same level as what was served at Akashi's house, to encourage the growing boys' potentials as powerful teens and adults. That's why the food was only given to those who met the daily agenda. They settled in for their meal, Kise sighed and idly bit into the chunk of steak he cut.

"I miss Kotomicchi…" There was a collective sigh at the table. Midorima pushed his now broken glasses up, effect diminished thanks to some poor boy who tried to sling a sandbag over his shoulder. He ended up smacking the taller green haired boy in the face.

"You must be taking it very lightly to be thinking of home right now, Kise. The beginning of training is the hardest, you should focus more, or you'll bring the Akashi name down. You won't be able to look Fujisaki in the face."

"You're so stuffy, Midorima. Just call her Kotomi like everyone else." Aomine complained and rolled his eyes.

"Mido-chin, I always see you sticking your hand in your pocket to touch the charm she gave all of us. You're thinking about her, too." Aomine took a huge bite out of the steak he had impaled with his fork and grumbled as Midorima did a spit take with to vehemently reject Murasakibara's accusation, despite the red on his cheeks which suggested otherwise.

"I don't even know why she made you guys one. I'm going to be top soldier, so just sit back and let me protect you all for her sake." Aomine announced as he reached over and stabbed a cube of Kise's steak, and shoved it into his mouth before the blonde could protest.

"Hey! Aominecchi! That was mine! You always do this!"

"Hah? Calm down, I need the energy to be the best."

"Don't be ridiculous! Aominecchi, you're the one who was scolded by Captain Nijimura, earlier!"

"So did you!"

"And!?" Kise and Aomine stood up, grabbing the fabric of the other's shirts, fists pulled back. There was a small laugh from beside the table, followed by two figures approaching.

"Oh!" Kise looked to the newcomers, tilting his head slightly. "You're those other guys…?"

"The name's Kagami Taiga, Blondie." The redhead growled as he turned his head away.

"Hah? Who even asked?" Suddenly, Aomine and Kise turned their sights off each other and on the red-headed boy, lightning cracked as the three pairs of eyes met.

"My name is Himuro Tatsuya." The dark-haired boy greeted politely.

"Nice to meet you. Your performance during the hand to hand combat segment was quite impressive. What brings you here?" Both completely ignored the rising murderous tensions beside them as Akashi smiled politely at Himuro.

"I just thought it looks so lively, here, would you mind if we joined in?" Himuro asked hopefully and chided his friend in the same breath. "Stop glaring, Taiga."

"Why do we have to sit with these guys?" Kagami complained. "They're a bunch of prissy boys."

"What did you say?" Aomine once again locked eyes with the new redhead who only returned a sour scowl.

"Please do." He challenged right back. Akashi gestured to the two empty seats left at the table, allowing for them to sit beside Akashi and Kuroko.

"Come on, Taiga." Himuro urged. "It's good to make friends, since we're all going to be allies from now on. Kagami grumbled, but begrudgingly sat down. But he leapt back onto his feet when he finally noticed Kuroko there, gasping and nearly dropping his food.

"When did you-!?"

"I've been here." Kuroko responded innocuously.

"Not this shit again…" Kagami looked to Himuro for help, but his friend only chuckled and turned to Akashi.

"So, who is this 'Fujisaki' you guys were talking about?" He was curious, having heard their conversation towards the end. "Is he here?"

"The cutest thing in the whole world!" Kise butt into the conversation immediately, practically shining with excitement at the chance to talk about his supposed favorite person. "She's training to be a medic so that she can take care of us!"

"How nice," Himuro chuckled a bit, leaning away from Kise's sunshine. "She must love you guys so much, to decide something like that."

"Hah?" Aomine looked to Himuro with a raised brow. "What do you mean by 'something like that'?"

"Well, willingly choosing to go into the battlefield to help you guys is—"

"She won't be on-site." The silver-eyed teen jumped when Kuroko spoke up, as if he had once again forgotten that there was an 8th person at this table. Kuroko's eyes were as impassive as ever, but there was a note of slight concern somewhere in those baby-blue depths.

"She's going to work from the safe zones."

"As if we would ever allow her to be so close to the fighting." Midorima nodded in agreement. "Even though we told her to just worry about her studies…" There was the strain of distress in his voice.

"Koto-chin is small and cute, and she smells sweet and her hair is long and shiny. She wouldn't last a day outside the city." Murasakibara commented as he polished off the last of his steak, much to Kagami's astonishment.

 _He ate it like a cookie…_ None of the others spoke, but there was suddenly tension in the air. None of them liked the idea of Kotomi being exposed to any kind of warfare outside of what she saw as a child. But they knew how obstinate she could be, so they were willing to compromise on the medic part. It didn't mean that it didn't make them uneasy, though. There will still plenty of ways to get hurt on-site, too. Himuro was quite surprised by the sudden intensity from teenaged boys.

"You guys love her a lot, I'm almost a little jealous." Midorima spluttered again and turned red, gaping like a fish.

"I-It's only natural to protect one's friends! That doesn't have anything to do with it."

"I'm protecting her because I love her." Kise said blatantly as he blinked cluelessly. "You don't love Kotomicchi, Mido-chin?"

"I-I-!"

"That's good, then! Because she's going to marry me when we're older, after all." Kise said this with a smile, but there was challenge in his eyes.

"Quit deciding things like that on your own, Kise." Aomine huffed, seeming a little bit like a panther cub, warning his sibling to back down.

"Don't decide things without asking Kotomi-chan first, Kise-kun." Even Kuroko sounded irate. Himuro was quite interested in the effect the mere mention of this girl's name had on the continuous top scorers. He only wished his brother was as invested in learning about their fellow trainees. He glanced at Kagami, who was gnawing away at his steak, completely disregarding the vegetables for the moment.

"Of course, we love her," Akashi offered, "We love her and Momoi. We've been together for years now. We're family. Everyone here is a vital part of that family, and we want to stay together forever." The smoothness of his answer finally allowed Midorima to compose himself, though he was mindlessly fidgeting with the tape on his fingers.

"Do you have any pictures of her? She seems so interesting, after all."

"You sound like an old man, Tatsuya. Who carried around pictures like that around in-" A hand offered both young men a picture of Kotomi as she sat underneath the plum tree half asleep with a book open in her lap. Fallen plum blossoms littered the open pages. Her half-lidded eyes and disheveled hair sitting outside of its typical side ponytail made for a very rare image of their typically well put together friend.

"Oh, she's very cute," Himuro's hummed in admiration. "I'm actually shocked that someone who looks like this still exists." When there was no response, he was made aware that the rest of the table was suddenly very quiet.

"Akashi…" Midorima was the first to speak of his childhood friends, eyes never moving from the picture.

"Where…did you get that picture of Kotomicchi?" Kise finished the question on everyone's mind.

"I took it one day while you were out buying snacks." Akashi blinked innocently. "She never looks like this around us, so I thought I would capture the moment. I thought she looked quite adorable. But she gets embarrassed whenever I bring it up, so I just keep it to myself. Do you think I should have asked her if it was alright to show other people?" He looked up to listen to their responses, confused as to why his friends looked so determined all of a sudden. Everyone except the red-headed heir and the two newcomers had the same exact thought.

 _That picture is mine!_

"Akashicchi, how can you share a treasure like that so easily!?" Kise whined. "That should be for our eyes, only!"

"That's right, Akashi-kun," Himuro joked, laughing a bit. "She's so cute I might have to steal her from you guys." Immediately, 6 pairs of eyes fly to Himuro, and he suddenly felt shiver up his spine. Himuro had let his guard down, since they seemed so amicable. But he was wrong. Even Kuroko's lack of presence was suddenly suffocating under that intense stare.

 _I was just joking, too…_

"Oi, Oi," Kagami warned, not liking the sudden shift in atmosphere. "He was kidding. Seriously, you guys need to cut out whatever you're doing right now." A chuckle caught their attentions. Akashi closed his eyes to laugh, and when he opened them, they're calm, but suddenly a little colder than before. His tone was still amicable, but with a drop of something else as well.

"Kagami-kun is correct. It was just a joke." Himuro's shoulders didn't relax even with the peaceful pause in his words, because the pause doesn't last long. "It's alright to show him a picture, since the real thing is safe and sound at home." Himuro laughed and nodded in agreement, the tense atmosphere _almost_ melted away, but there was still something in the air. Himuro swallowed hard while he decided to chat with Kagami about the training results today. Even as the tense atmosphere melted and the prodigies became friendly again, a leftover bead of sweat dripped down his temple.

 _These guys…might be dangerous._

* * *

 **Day 1 End**

 **Author's Notes: I really love writing mean Oikawa for some reason ahaha. I hope you guys liked the rewrite of chapter 2, and that the flow is a little better than before. Be sure to leave any questions you might have! PM me too! I'm actually done revising chapter 3 and working on chapter 4, but I want to do one more read through to make sure everything is good! Until next time!**

 _Aomine:_ _Glad you're enjoying it! I hope I can keep you interested!_

lilith20047: Thanks so much for your review! I'm glad the story is still good!

 **Love,**

 **Silky.**


	3. Cats, Owls, Gorillas, and Hummingbirds

_**Authors Note: Probably my favorite chapter rewrite so far! Why do I like writing mean Oikawa so much? Hope you guys enjoy too! I remember that when I wrote this, I was so excited to reach certain points that I sacrificed the quality of the relationships. But I hope I did it justice this time! Let me know what you think! Enjoy!**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Cats, Owls, Gorillas and Hummingbirds**

 **Outskirts of the Citadel**

The messy-headed brunette hummed as he wandered the new area. Iwaizumi warned him not to wander too far away from base alone, but this was more for the safety of any poor soul that Oikawa Tooru happened upon than for the perpetrator himself. But who knew when they would get to come here again? It didn't feel right to be holed up in their hideout all day. He wanted to find something he didn't get to see often.

And his search didn't end in vain. He had never seen a blooming flower in his 13 years of life. He never even imagined that trees could even _have_ flowers. But when he found the tree with delicate, purple blossoms, he was so glad that his sneaking away had a payoff. Such luxuries in life didn't find him often, so he had to make use of it before it was dashed again by the shitty existence he lived.

And lo and behold came the executioner of his short-lived peace. Oikawa heard her before he saw her, the sound of soft footsteps approaching him from behind. As he stood up to greet her, he turned to face the grating new presence in the form of a pretty girl with vibrant blue eyes and hair as dark as night.

She was short and healthy-looking, if not pampered, despite the way she tried to present herself otherwise. Oikawa took in her well-groomed appearance, her soft, bouncy hair, clean skin, and the soft scent of rose that he could inhale with the gentle breeze of clean air. And it pissed him off that he felt his stupid teen hormones swayed.

To know that he would never know of such pleasures in life that this stranger was all too familiar with. He had to remind himself that anyone would look nice if they had it as good as her. It made him want to bully her, and so he did. He wished for her to be angry and bitter, just like him. How did she end up so lucky, to live like this? Oikawa had so many questions for this girl, but he couldn't bring himself to ask a single one. But the happier she was with her life, then all the more he wished misfortune would befall her.

His bitterness swelled with pride when she tried to hit him with her book, despite the fact that he noted how cute her slender, trembling arms were. Her eyes shined with the beginnings of tears, but were hardened like sapphire, a fine jewel he had only ever read about in scraps of old advertisements he found in the kindling for their fire on a cold winter night.

 _That's right. Hate me. So I can hate you. That's how this world works, after all._

It would justify the ways he wanted to hurt her. But he also felt an immense relief when Iwaizumi stopped him, the look in his childhood friends' eyes doused the fire raging within him.

 _I get how you feel, but this isn't how you should deal with it._

 _I know, Iwa-chan._ Oikawa's anger simmered down just before boiling over, but the fire was still raging. _Even if I tell myself she didn't do anything to me, I still can't stop being mad at her._

Out of concern for the situation escalating, he conceded and let the encounter he go with a few more mocking words and a sly grin, fully expecting to walk away victorious. He wasn't a good person, no, and he wasn't above this kind of behavior. He reasoned that he was just a kid, after all.

What he didn't expect was for this small girl, who smelled like roses and spent her time reading books under a tree whose name he didn't know, to respond the way she did. Her eyes seemed to pierce his very soul, as she spoke her name in a voice louder than before, her posture still straight and head still held high.

He was vaguely reminded of a book that Kuroo showed him.

" _The hell is that?" He asked questioningly as he pressed a dirty finger to the page. Kuroo smacked his hand away with a small glare._

" _You can look at things without touching them. That's a hummingbird."_

" _It's so small..." Iwaizumi commented as he peered over Oikawa's shoulder. "How could a small bird like that survive in the wild?"_

" _Well, they're gone now, so they didn't survive at all." Oikawa huffed. "That's just how things are in a world like this."_

" _Well, it was able to keep on living for a while, maybe." Kuroo added. "They're super territorial, after all."_

" _So? A much bigger animal could tear that little rat with wings apart." Oikawa insisted. "Small things like that are better off in a cage to keep the world out and itself safe."_

A frail little thing, whose heart was ready to give out from how frantically it flapped its wings to stay afloat.

 _Kuroo grinned and shook his head, sighing. "You lack imagination, Tooru-kun~ Animals don't just exist because they're allowed to. They fight to survive, like us." Oikawa pouted, unable to say anything back to that._

" _How does something like that fight?" Iwaizumi asked curiously, his eyes widening as Kuroo pointed to the hummingbird's long, sharp beak._

As he returned with Iwaizumi, Oikawa found himself glancing back towards the plum tree, his expression quite thoughtful.

"Oi. You're really gonna meet up with that girl again?" Iwaizumi asked incredulously. "You better not. She's obviously someone important."

"Eh? Iwa-chan, are you my mom?" Oikawa joked, despite knowing that it wouldn't end well for him.

"I'll kill you." On cue, Iwaizumi snapped at him with a sharp glare. But Oikawa ignored it, as his expression became thoughtful again.

"Hey, Iwa-chan…" Iwaizumi was taken aback by his friends' serious expression. Though he had a tendency to become lost in thought, it was always so sudden and at the strangest times that his longtime friend got like that. He always seemed much older than 13 when he did. Oikawa brought a hand to his chin before he spoke.

"I think she had a crush on me." His expression returned to general disdain. No, never mind. He probably was never thinking anything important when he said stuff like that.

"I think you've finally lost it." Oikawa chuckled, looking up at the sky, the bright sun beating down on his skin.

"Just kidding. I was just thinking I'd like to get back at that girl, since she looks so cute when she's mad."

"Well, you probably won't be able to go tomorrow. We've got things to do."

"We do?" Oikawa shrunk away as Iwaizumi raised a threatening first. "I was kidding! I remember, I remember!" He whined.

"So, you're not gonna go tomorrow, right?" Oikawa nodded. As much as he joked around, he _was_ serious about his job. "You're gonna leave her hanging?"

"Yeah. It feels good to know that she's going to be waiting for me while I do more important things, anyway. It's a good revenge plot."

"Scumbag." Iwaizumi deadpanned.

"You're a bully!"

* * *

 **Akashi Residence**

"Kotomi-chan!" Kotomi ran past Momoi with a brilliant grin. Three years seemed to have passed so quickly. It's been so quiet in the halls she grew up in. And Starting today, they would be empty no longer. They were home!

"Guys!" Her voice was light and louder and more childish than she typically allowed, but her pores sang with adrenaline as the days under that lovely little tree were within sight once again.

"Kotomi…?" She wasn't sure whose voice spoke her name so quietly as ran towards the front door. For some reason, she could see their silhouettes through the crack of where the wooden entrance met the floor of the foyer. That was unusual, as there was a tad too much space between the door and the marble floors. But she didn't think too long about it. What was important was that they were here. They were here with her again.

"Welcome hom—" All sound in her throat died as she threw the door open mid greeting. The smell of metal and rot hit her nose so hard it was the same as being hit by a truck. Kotomi's eyes widened in abject horror at the bloody scene before her. She couldn't even distinguish what was what, what was _who_.

All she could see was red.

She covered her mouth and took a step back, her foot came into contact with something soft, like a wet log covered in moss. She slowly looked behind her, over her shoulder, eyes practically bulged out of their sockets as she caught just a glimpse of the pale flesh of an arm coated in red from the shoulder to the fingernails, surrounded by the pool of shiny red that stained the pristine hospital floor.

 _Hospital…?_ Kotomi suddenly found herself surrounded by body bags and gurneys, cries of pain and anguish filling her ears. Her stomach churned as she realized she was wearing a medic's uniform, and the bodies in the gurneys were reaching for her. Faceless beings, identities stripped just like the lives they held onto so desperately. The screams were so real, like she's heard them before.

"Help…me…please. Someone, help me." That voice…it was hers. It was coming from everywhere and nowhere. Kotomi covered her ears, her eyes filled with tears which blurring her vision with an assault of salty moisture.

 _No…_

"Kotomi…?" She feels cold hands at her feet, grasping her ankles.

 _No!_

 _Close your eyes. Don't fight._

 _NO._

"Help me." She couldn't breathe.

 _NO….!_

"Don't die." She felt icy cold hands at her throat, and a voice drowned in sorrow choked up her screams.

"Live!"

" _I'm sorry."_

Kotomi's eyes flew open as she said the words, her hands immediately moved to claw at her throat. Her entire forehead was drenched in sweat. Her chest was heaving as she whimpered into the empty space of her room. The notes from her cram school sessions were scattered all over her bed, some trapped beneath the blanket she kicked off her body in the middle of her sleep.

With fingers curled into the fabric of her shirt, Kotomi cradled her heart in her palm as she slowly sat up, wiping away the sweat from her forehead as she glanced at the calendar she set up on her desk:

 **MEDICAL TRAINING TODAY.**

With another heavy sigh, Kotomi lurched out of bed and started to dress in her school uniform, carrying a bag packed full of neat packets of paper containing different kinds of treatments, her position in formations, and her plans of action for when she or another medic on the field was compromised during an extraction.

A month has passed since her medical training began. In two years, she would be assigned to her site of operation. She was already spending her after-school hours with Alex Garcia, the head of the medical division and her assistant Riko Aida, who specialized in rehabilitation despite only being older than Kotomi by just a year. Kotomi was surprised that she got along with them, since she never got along with any of the other girls at school. But it was a blessing she didn't know she needed. All this work left Kotomi missing Momoi quite a bit, since the pink-haired beauty was working almost every day after school with the analysts at the lab as well. She hardly ever saw her best friend except at school, and while no one could ever replace Momoi, dinner time with Riko and Alex was more than enough consolation.

Even when Riko managed to slip into the kitchen and drop vitamins into the pot.

Kotomi couldn't even describe how much Alex reminded her of Kise with how they both couldn't keep their hands off her. Apparently, the young woman had a maternal instinct and tended to dote on younger children, especially girls.

"It's because I raised two boys! I want daughters, too!" Alex often whined. Kotomi wasn't quite as comfortable with her clinginess as she was with Kise's, but it was more of a comfort than it was a nuisance, so Kotomi had no glaring qualms on which to act against Alex. Besides, the doting meant that she got to learn more than the other trainees.

Perhaps she would be able to work on-site sooner than she anticipated. She just had to keep working hard, even if all she was doing was working on medical records, completing the paperwork and treating minor injuries and post-operation patients. She needed the practice, because there wouldn't be the chance to make mistakes when she was on the field. But she couldn't wait to be making a greater difference in the war zones.

Today was a treat, however, Kotomi had the afternoon off for the first time since she started, and she already knew what she wanted to do with her time. She planned for an afternoon underneath her favorite place, with her favorite snacks. Maybe she could leave a message for Momoi and the two of them could spend the afternoon studying and eating together.

Excitedly, she purchased some of her favorite snacks with her allowance and carried her bags to the plum blossom tree. She started running as she nears the tree, so excited but her smile faded as she recognized the silhouette already there, the messy brown hair visible even in the sun.

His eyes were closed in concentration, so he hadn't noticed her yet. His stance was widened as he positioned himself so that his body was parallel to the tree. His right foot was pointed out toward the field, while the other was planted so that his toes faced the tree. Kotomi watched with some degree of reluctant admiration as studied his movements.

He was shirtless, which exposed all the scars on his body. Kotomi felt a twinge of sympathy. How did he end up getting so many?

Without receiving an answer for her unspoken questions, Kotomi breathed in as Oikawa took a deep breath. His eyes slowly opened with a fierce and focused sharpness that sent shivers down Kotomi's spine as she clutched her books tighter to her chest. She's never seen any kind of combat, as far as she knows, aside from the typical roughhousing between Kise and Aomine. But somehow, she just knew that this was what a _real_ fighter looked like. But then why wasn't he at training like the others? Only those with debilitating conditions were excused.

Kotomi bit her lip. He looked too young to look so fierce. It made her sad to think that perhaps Kuroko and the others looked like this, too. Such a fiery look on a young face was enough to make her heart lurch.

With a sudden, swift movement, Oikawa surged forward, his fist colliding with the wood of the tree so strongly that she heard the crunching of bark under his knuckles. Only this snapped Kotomi out of her daze, and she gasped, running forward. Oikawa was so absorbed that he didn't notice her until she threw all her weight at him, hoping to tackle him to the ground. Instead, she only knocked him off balance, but instinctively he threw his arms around her with a choked squawk of surprise.

"Stop!" Kotomi cried out.

"Wahh!" He pushed Kotomi back, holding her at arms-length with a glare. "Don't do that! I could have hit you!" But Kotomi was too busy shaking a finger in his face, her brow was furrowed in a deep glare.

"Don't punch the tree, you'll hurt it!" She was out of breath from running, her eyes still shining with admiration, pale cheeks flushed a rosy pink. "There aren't a lot of flowering trees left, so you can't do something like that without thinking!" Oikawa raised an eyebrow at her, quickly letting go as he wiped away at his hands as if she were something dirty.

"Says the girl who threw herself! You could have thrown your book or something!" Kotomi looked down at her books, lips parted in a small 'o' as she realized that might have been better.

 _Wait, why am I giving her ideas!?_ Oikawa ran his fingers through his hair, sighing in exasperation as he looked up at the tree. He supposed she had a point.

"Fine. But I have to train. I just thought this rough bark would be a good way to build callouses."

"If you're able to train, then why aren't you with the rest of the Citadel Army?" Oikawa froze, glad that his back was Kotomi so she wouldn't see his expression.

 _Shit. Iwa-chan would kill me if he were here._

"It's none of your business." He fell back on changing the subject. "You're awfully nosy for someone who stood me up, Kotori-chan."

"Stood you up?" Kotomi sounded incredulous. Oikawa flipped a stray curl of brown hair off his forehead.

"You told me that you came here at lunch time. But you haven't come in a while. You lied to me to get back at me for humiliating you. How cruel of you, no wonder you don't have friends." He waited for the indignant gasp and the anger to set in, but when he turned around to face Kotomi, she was giving him an unamused expression, brow cocked as she tilted her head.

"So, you've been waiting here for me to come?"

"W-What!?" Oikawa gaped. Well, it was certainly true, but- no! It wasn't! "I-I wasn't waiting for you, don't get ahead of yourself! I said I liked it here, didn't I?" Kotomi just looked him up and down, unconvinced. He grabbed his own hair and pulled at it in his frustration. How was _he_ the one being led around by the nose!?

"If your knuckles get infected, then it would be bad, right?" Oikawa raised an eyebrow at this sudden question, surprised and made wary by her sudden concern. But this was his chance to get back at her for her sass.

"Hoh, are you concerned about me, Kotori-chan?"

"Not particularly." She responded too quickly...

"You know, you're not cute when you say things so rudely." Oikawa huffed. "I really don't know why I bother wasting my time..." His grumbles continued while Kotomi looked up at him with hope shining in her eyes.

"Will you teach me how to fight?"

"Seriously, how are you going to find…a…boyf…. what." He deadpanned as he faced her fully, eyes slightly widened.

"Why… would I do that?" He took a step back when she stepped forward. He had lost his chance to drop the subject by not answering immediately. It meant she had time to make her case.

"I've been wondering how I could be a more effective medic, and I can't help but come to the conclusion that I need to learn how to fight! But there's no one who will teach me!" Kotomi waved her fists, her expression so shiny that Oikawa felt his heart skip a beat. "So why don't you teach me then? In return, I'll treat any wounds you have. I can make medicine too!"

"What? Make medicine?" This piqued his interest. Why would a medic need to make medicine? "Don't they just give it to you in bottles or something?" Kotomi pulled back and shrugged, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Well, they give us the basic supplies for first-aid, but our supplies get stolen if get hurt, so they're rationed pretty harshly. So... I'm developing my own ointments and treatments for things like burns and small wounds."

"Is that allowed?" Kotomi avoided his pointed look. Oikawa found himself smirking.

"You're a little more rebellious than I thought you'd be, Kotori-chan." Kotomi looked down at her feet for a moment, and then looked back up at him with resolve brimming in her eyes.

"I just don't think it's good to remain as I am. I want to be stronger in my own way. If that means I have to rebel, then fine." His smile disappeared moments later. Why was he acting so friendly with her?

"Is it for your friends?" Without a second thought, Kotomi nodded. Oikawa tasted a bitterness in his throat. But Kotomi extended her hand toward him.

"So? Do we have a deal?" Oikawa let go of a small exhale, raising his hand. Kotomi tensed up with excitement, short-lived when the brunette smacked her hand away and turned his back on her.

"I'm not interested in anything a little brat like you has to offer."

"What? Why?" His excitement rose at the way her voiced pitched a little higher than before. That's what he was looking for. "But-!"

"I have a better idea." He turned toward her, eyes half-lidded and dark as his gait slowly turned into a sauntering stalk. Kotomi took a step back, and then another, and suddenly she found herself pressed up against the tree. His entire disposition changed in a matter of moments.

Oikawa slammed both hands on the bark on either side of her head, a few inches taller than her. He was so close she can smell him. She could smell metallic smoke, but also strangely pine. His face was just inches from hers now.

"What are you doing…?" She asked, never wavering from his gaze.

"I think," Oikawa practically purred, a hand moved to procure a lock of her hair out of the neat side ponytail she wore. He sifted through every strand with his thumb. "You should consider offering me a heftier price for my services." Kotomi's hand lifted up from her side, and Oikawa smirked.

 _Go ahead. Push me away and cry._

"I can hear your heartbeat from here." She murmured as she placed a hand on his chest. Her eyelashes lowered as nostalgia seemed to remove her from the moment. "You don't really know what you mean when you say that." She brought a hand to her chin and giggled. It was such an innocent sound, he remembered that this insufferable brat was a kid. Just like him.

No, not like him at all. He wasn't capable of the unguarded, blissful look in her eyes.

"You're just like Daiki." Oikawa was so shocked that he staggered backwards. He gritted his teeth so hard that he heard the grinding in his head. In his anger, he turned his back on her again. He picked up his shirt and put it back on, his face suddenly a bright red.

"What is _wrong_ with you!?" He shouted. His teeth snapped together as he spoke. Kotomi pushed the loose hair behind her ear as she watched him in confusion. "What an unreadable girl. You're not cute at all! You're ugly! So damn hard to look at!" He pointed at her like he was accusing her of a crime. Kotomi only blinked and tilted her head.

"You're just trying to scare me away, because you don't like me. But I don't have anywhere else to turn to. We can work something out if you want something more, but I'm offering a chance for you to take it out on me. Isn't that good for us to keep trying to find a good enough compromise?"

" ...What do you mean?" He neutralized his expression, but his hostility had never been higher. "What makes you think I don't like you?"

"I'm privileged, not stupid." She rubbed her arm and looked back towards the city "Lots of people wonder why I was lucky enough to grow up with so much when others have nothing." Oikawa pursed his lips and crossed his arms. "But I'm trying to move forward. I can't answer those kinds of questions, because I don't know either."

"Am I supposed to be moved because you think you get me?"

"I don't really care about you." Oikawa snorted without humor. "I'm not trying to help you, and I'm not asking for a favor. I'm offering you a chance to make a deal. I want to help my friends. I don't need to be able to understand anyone else." She brought her hands to her chest and smiled serenely.

"So, what will you do if I refuse to train you?"

"I'll figure it out. It's inevitable that I'll be deployed, regardless."

Oikawa smirked.

"Well, now that I know how strongly you feel, I feel even better about telling you to hurry up and die on the battlefield." He turned to leave, tossing a small wave over his shoulder. Today was a victory. "You're funny, Kotori-chan, but find someone else to help you with your little suicide mission." Before he could get much farther, something hard hit Oikawa at the back of his head. He squeaked in pain, then turned red in indignation He simply kicked the book she chucked at his head away and kept going. And then-

 _ **taptaptap TAPTAPTAPTAP-**_

 _ **WHUMPF!**_

This time when she tackled him, he crumpled like a house of playing cards. He shouted and in consequence, he got a good taste of the dirt waiting for him below. The top popped off on his patience, and he shot up and grabbed Kotomi's shoulder, threw her on the ground and straddled her hips. He pulled his fist back to land a nice blow to that pretty little face of hers, but his fist stopped just short when he saw her expression.

Eyes closed, teeth gritted, her pretty features scrunched up in anticipation and smeared with dirt while she waited for the pain. Her long black hair came undone in the brief struggle; strands of night littered rosy cheeks flushed with exertion. Her hands were up in a half guard, not able to move fast enough to stop him. Oikawa stared down at her in astonishment.

What kind of idiot would volunteer to be punched in the face? She really didn't get what it meant to be fighting for your life. Otherwise, she wouldn't be this way-

" _Let's fight!" A small voice shouted at the sky. "Fight even if we all die. It's better than never having tried at all. It's better than just lying down and accepting that we're weak!"_

Why was he remembering that now, of all times? Oikawa huffed in exasperation and pulled his fist away from her face, which caused Kotomi to open her eyes and blink in astonishment. He stood up and patted away the dirt from his clothes, his back to her.

"I'm not going to punch you."

"But—"

"Not like this. I would feel like a villain."

"But you already act like on—" Before she could get a chance to make him question his decision again, he slammed a hand over her mouth, moving in close.

"I'm going to teach you how to fight. I'll make you as strong as possible, even if I have to drag you the last stretch of the way." Oikawa removed his hand, and then pointed at her, his glare cutting her like a knife. "And then I'm going to crush you with everything I have, over and over. Even if you cry and try to stop me." Kotomi's eyes brightened and she smiled wide, despite his words, and nodded eagerly.

"Yes sir!"

"Come here tomorrow at lunch time, wearing clothes for training. I'm not fighting a girl in a skirt today, and don't think I'll stop hitting you if you have a wardrobe malfunction!"

"Right! Tomorrow, then!" Kotomi ran over the tree, and then patted the spot beside her. It was so sudden that Oikawa only stared at her.

"…What?"

"I'm going to put ointment on your knuckles. It's part of the deal, remember?" She pulled out the small metal jar, opening it up. Oikawa wrinkled his nose, a horrid scent wafting out from her container. "Don't worry, it won't smooth out your callouses. Give me your hand."

"What is it?"

"It's a mix of honey, glue, and hydrogen peroxide." Oikawa's face soured. Honey? That was a luxury where he was from. Mixing it with glue and disinfectant sounded like a felony. Without missing a beat, Kotomi answered the question he wasn't asking.

"Don't worry, I'm planning on changing the formula. Honey is too expensive. I want to be able to present the ointment as a cost-effective product to the Army. " Oikawa didn't move, mostly from the shock of the way she took almost everything in stride. Kotomi sighed and stood up, walking over to grab his hand for him. She turned it over to look at his knuckles.

"Look, see? You have splinters. What's the use in building callouses if you end up chopping your fingers off?" He jolted in shock, gasping in pain as she applied the paste with the gentlest touch, and then blew on it, waiting for it to dry.

"C-Cut them off!?" Kotomi giggled at this, retrieving a pair of tweezers from her first aid kit. She got to work, peeling back the solution. To his shock, the splinters were coming out with the peeling of the paste.

"Calm down, they're superficial. It's good I stopped you on the first punch, or you would have embedded them. I might have used a heated needle at that point—hey! Don't jump like that!"

"Then don't say that kind of stuff so casually!" They butt heads and glared at each other, but Kotomi was the first to break as she looked away with a snicker.

"What are you laughing about?" Oikawa narrowed his eyes.

"I was just thinking…punching a tree to build callouses…tackling a stranger to get them to do what you want...we're both a little silly, aren't we?" Her expression became tender. Oikawa felt a soft thudding, and suddenly he feels warmth in the place she had splayed her hand on his chest. A ghost of a memory was reminding him of how slender and dainty her fingers were, as he stared at them grasping his hand. She pushed some more hair behind her ear, and he can't help but notice they were pierced, but she didn't have earrings on.

"I'm sure Oikawa-san has plenty of people he wants to protect too." She said.

"Don't compare me to you." Kotomi was so engrossed in her work, making sure to get every splinter, that she failed to notice the way he was looking away, cheeks flushed slightly. "I'm not some kind of masochistic idiot who asks to get punched."

"I never _asked,_ you're the one who threw me on the ground."

"I'm not a smartass like you, either." He hated her.

"You're just an ass."

"I hate you." Why was she so nice?

"Good."

"I can't wait to punch you tomorrow." She was the worst.

"Good."

"...thank you…." His voice was quieter at this, and Kotomi smiled to herself, saying nothing more as she hummed a soft song as she applied ointment to his sore knuckles and then packed up for the day. After all that excitement and the promise of more tomorrow, she was too antsy to study. The maids were going to fret up a storm when they see her now. The bow of her uniform was undone, her hair was falling out of its side pony tail in sections. Her skirt, socks, and sleeves were covered in dirt.

Oikawa left first without a word, giving Kotomi only one glance over his shoulder before he continued on his way. He met Iwaizumi at the halfway point as per usual on the way back home. The spiky haired boy with sharp eyes noticed how quiet his friend was, and he can only surmise something happened again.

"So, she was there, today? Did you learn anything?"

"Iwa-chan…" Oikawa touched his chest right by his heart. "I'm exhausted, somehow."

"What's with you?" He shook his head and ignored Iwaizumi's concern. He continued forward; a little curl of his lips graced his features.

"I learned how much I hate hummingbirds."

"Hah?"

* * *

 **Citadel Training Grounds- Lt. General's Office**

"What…what did you say, sir…?" Very little shocked him these days, but Nijimura Shuzo almost ended up dropping his clipboard.

"I think you heard me clearly, Captain Nijimura."

"I still think it's too soon. This isn't protocol." The young men clenched his jaw. He knew that the General was probably forced into this decision.

"You know how dire our situation is getting, Captain. Protocol is not as important as results. The rebels are making bolder and bolder moves. We have to nip it in the bud." General Shirogane threw the 5 files on the table and crossed his arms. "They will be good leaders, but they need experience. And that means we need to send them ahead."

"They're boys! They've barely started training."

"Boys younger than them die every day with less than they have, Captain. They're soldiers in the middle of the war. This isn't easy for me, either. But we have never seen boys like them, before. With the right catalyst, they could be a turning point for us. We can't afford to let talent slip away from us."

Nijimura clenched his fists tightly as he bit back another retort. Of course, he had been watching those five closely. He couldn't argue their talents and their growth were unprecedented. But they were _naïve._ They enjoyed their superiority and the rewards for their performances, but they were still boys who had no idea what the battlefield was going to look like. It was cruel to send them out now. But what could he do? Orders were orders. So Nijimura bowed his head.

"Then let me oversee their missions. I will lead the way for them." The general nodded, having expected the dutybound officer to offer anyway.

"Of course. Make them pupils worthy of your title. And protect them."

"Yes, General…"

* * *

 **Briefing Room**

"We're…going to be deployed?" Kise's shock summed up everyone else's expressions, golden eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as he repeated what was just said to them.

"I thought we weren't due until two years?" Akashi asked politely, the most composed, but his eyes strained against expressing the distress he felt.

"Your growth as soldiers is unprecedented, and so is the degree to which the outside is pressuring us. We need a change in pace, or things are only going to get worse. The general would like it if you became captains at the end of your training, which means you need to be ahead of your comrades. You still have time, another month. From now on, I'll be training the five of you directly, to teach you everything you know."

"This is good, right? I mean, we're strong." Aomine insisted. "Maybe we can change something. Maybe we'll get to go _home."_ To _her._ An image of the dark-haired girl appeared in his mind, but Aomine refrained from reaching into his pocket to touch the charm that never left his person.

"Aomine is right. I think we could make a difference, Captain, but we're still missing something." Akashi nodded as he took a deep breath. He couldn't lose his composure, lest everyone do the same. He had also been watching everyone's movements. They were stronger than he anticipated, especially during the team exercises. There was just one person missing. "We're incomplete."

"Incomplete…?" Midorima questioned his friend. _He couldn't be talking about..._

"We are strongly offensive, this is true. Kise and Aomine seem to favor close distance fighting. Midorima is long-distance, while Atsushi and I are flexible, depending on the situation. But we need a curveball. A line of defense that will remove enemies from our path before we even see them. We will advance quicker, that way." Nijimura seemed to understand what he meant, raising a brow.

"You want Kuroko Tetsuya." The other four looked quite surprised with this.

"Tetsu?" Aomine paled. Tetsu being a captain...?

"Kuroko consistently scores low on all his exercises. The only reason he isn't at the bottom is because so many people fail to complete the exercises." Midorima clearly doubted Akashi's decision. Even in the face of this dissent, Akashi's expression remained certain.

"He scores low on all but one category, isn't that right, Captain?"

"Stealth." Nijimura confirmed, wondering what in the world Akashi Seijurou was thinking. His friends were impressive, but the heir was in a league of his own. "You want him to be an assassin."

"K-kurokocchi as an assassin…?" Kise scrunched up his nose, as if the idea had a bad odor. "He could never…"

"He will. Because we all must fight. We'll have to _kill."_ The room seemed to become a few degrees colder. No amount of training could prepare them for that part of war. The first kill would likely be quick, and they wouldn't have time to process. But the anticipation was just as scary. "To protect our home. To protect our families." Akashi turned to Nijimura, his eyes sharpened with a certainty that bolstered his words.

"Captain, I promise you. Kuroko Tetsuya has talents that not even we can fathom. He will be every bit as important as everyone else here. Please consider adding him to the team." A chill ran down Nijimura's spine at the commanding tone beneath Akashi's polite request.

 _This kid…_ Akashi Seijurou truly was a force to be reckoned with. He would surely become a Captain very young…and maybe a lot more before these next three years were up.

"I'll talk it over with the general. I see what you're talking about, but you should discuss this with Kuroko-kun, as well." Nijimura saluted the trainees, walking out quickly and with purpose. It left the rest of them to turn on their red-headed friend.

"Akashichhi, why would you push for Kurokocchi to join us on the field? He can't fight!" Kise protested.

"Don't underestimate him, Kise." Aomine growled a little, but he wasn't happy with the suggestion, either. "Tetsu works hard."

"He's small like Sa-chin and Koto-chin." Murasakibara drawled. "He should stay in the rear."

"Kuroko's talents lie in places ours do not," Akashi explained. "You'll see what I mean, soon enough. Besides, we all made the promise to them, didn't we? That we'd watch out for each other, and that we'd return home to their side." Akashi gripped the charm in his hand tight, rubbing the protection stitching with his thumb in circles. "Kuroko should be with us for this."

After a moment of quiet deliberation, the rest of them nodded.

"Right. We do this together." Aomine confirmed. Akashi's shoulders fell back to neutral, seeming relieved that he had managed to calm everyone down. He had to be strong. He had to be calm. They were counting on him. _She_ was counting on him. He told her that all of them would surely return to her side, and he wasn't going to break his promise to her. He wouldn't be able to bear coming home without one of them.

 _He'd rather die._ Akashi failed to notice the expression he's making. But Midorima did, and the look on Akashi's face was that of a man whose resolve was sharp enough to kill.

* * *

 **Plum Tree**

"Dead." Oikawa announced as he threw the young girl over his shoulder with relative ease, despite her pounding on his back and her legs kicking. "From here I could kill you in several different ways." He jumped a little, smirking at her squeak in fear as his shoulder threatened to knock the wind out of her.

"I could body slam you and step on your throat. I could put you in a Supplex and break your neck, if you're lucky. Or, I could throw you on the ground, pull your pants down and have my way with you before I cut your throat, all while you're too stunned to stop me." He dropped her to the ground, and Kotomi met the ground for the umpteenth time today with a loud thud and a cry of pain.

"That's too frightening of an image!" She cried from the ground.

"That's reality."

"How would you know!?"

"I'll tell you when you're older." Kotomi glared up Oikawa. _We're around the same age, jerk._ She didn't want to say that out loud. He was going to hit her harder, and as much as she liked being able to learnt to fight, she wasn't a glutton for punishment. No matter what Oikawa thought.

Slowly, but surely, she picked herself up, not even bothering to wipe off the dirt on her cheek, her pants, or her t-shirt. She gave up after the third mouthful of soil. Oikawa seemed pretty pleased with himself as he took his stance again. She glared at him.

"You're enjoying yourself a quite a bit someone who was so hesitant, yesterday." She said suspiciously. "You better be actually teaching me, instead of _just_ beating me up."

"What? Come on, I'm not a guy who goes back on my word."

"I find that hard to believe." He ignored her dry comment.

"No, you're just far too easy a target for me to enjoy myself, Kotori-chan. Come on, now, I don't have the free time to wait for you to catch up. Your enemy won't wait for you to get used to it." He smirked and took his fighting stance again. "Now come at me, find out how to make your current self stronger than the enemy."

Kotomi felt frustration flare up in her chest. What did that even mean!? Kotomi took a deep breath and ran at him again, bracing herself for him to just throw her to the ground, again.

"Oya, oya, oya. What's this?" Kotomi stopped and almost fell over again when she looked to see the newcomers, wondering if it was the spikey haired boy who she saw with Oikawa again.

"Hey, hey hey! You guys look like you're having fun! Who's this, Oikawa?" More spikey haired boys…Kotomi wiped away the dirt from under her nose as two more young boys approached her, taller than Oikawa and stockier than the brunette's lithe frame. They had more muscle built onto sun kissed arms, torsos and legs.

"Where the hell did you guys come from?" Oikawa narrowed his eyes suspiciously, as if he already had an inkling. Only one person really knew he was been coming here almost every day for the last month.

"Iwaizumi-san said you always go this tree to wait for some hummingbird you won't shut up about." The darker haired boy ran his fingers through a mess of inky black, his dark, half-lidded eyes regarding Kotomi with a look that made her squirm. He looked like a dirty old man checking out a young girl the way he was positioned, with his hand under his chin while his head tilted up and down.

"Turns out it was something more interesting than some silly old bird…" He smirked cattishly, and Kotomi thought:

 _Tetsuya would tell me to avoid him on the streets._

"Iwa-chan, you traitor! I told you not to tell anyone about this!" Oikawa turned to look at her after yelling at his absent friend and glared. "And I don't start thinking that I've been waiting here for you!"

"I didn't." Her flat response was not convincing.

"A 'hummingbird,' huh…? That's fitting." The dark-haired taller boy approached her, getting in her face. He was quite handsome, and Kotomi found herself flushing under scrutinizing gaze. He was like an alley cat surveying its prey. "I can see why Gorilla would be coming here so often."

"Gorilla…?"

"Don't give her weird ideas! Don't call me that in front of her!" Oikawa snapped.

"My name's Kuroo, little bird. What's your name?"

"Fujisaki Kotomi." _Little bird...?_

"Oh! So formal. I'm Kuroo Tetsurou, then."

"I'm Bokuto Koutarou!" The silver haired boy cried. He seemed to have lost patience for being ignored.

"Don't ignore me!" Oikawa was losing his patience too.

"Hey, hey hey!" The two-toned silver-haired boy with glowing golden eyes, a darker shade that glowed with much more intensity than Kise's, got in her face as well. _Do these two know what personal space is?_ His proximity was forcing her to lean away so that their noses weren't almost touching. "What's a tiny little thing like you doing with this Gorilla?"

"Like I said, don't call me that!"

"He's helping me train to be stronger." Kuroo's eyes widened and his lips pursed. His eyes scanned her again and Kotomi almost asked him to stop.

"You're in the military?" He finally stopped staring at her strangely, but the unnerving pressure about him wouldn't go away.

"I'm a medic. My friends are going to be sent out to the border, and I want to be there to support them." The two-toned, silvery haired boy named Bokuto gasped and looked teary eyed.

"So moving!" He cried and placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair much to Kotomi's annoyance. She smacked his hand away and pouted as the boy shrunk away. That gesture wasn't allowed for strangers.

"What a good little bird, protecting her nest." The dark haired named Kuroo boy purred as he nodded. "But…you seem like you're getting the snot kicked out of you." He glanced at Oikawa, who looked on in innocence.

"She's the one who asked." Was all he offered.

"You really are a nasty person." Kuroo snickered. Kotomi's shoulders slumped, as she imagined that she looked rather pathetic.

"She started it! You should have seen her yesterday; she was being so unladylike!"

"What did she do?" Kuroo's curiosity was piqued, and though the conversation was still at her expense, Kotomi was glad he stopped staring at her so intensely.

"I threw a book at him and tackled him…" Kotomi said this looking away, a little embarrassed. She had gotten frustrated that her plans hadn't been working out, so she acted rashly. Bokuto and Kuroo's mouths fell open they looked to fidgeting girl. Kuroo was the first to break, and grabbed his stomach as a cackle rocked his body.

"You got tackled by _her!?"_ Both Oikawa and Kotomi puffed up in indignance.

"She caught me off guard, and she's heavier than she looks!" The comment made Kotomi gasp, cupping her cheeks in excitement.

"Does that mean I'm muscly?" _Atsushi always said that I'm so light! Maybe I've gained some weight?_

"It means you eat too much! How would a little princess like you get any muscle?" With her hopes dashed against the stone, Kotomi went to stomp on Oikawa's foot, but he dodged with ease and shot her a glare.

"Oikawa, you can't say that to a girl!" Bokuto chided.

"But you said I'm heavy. No one has ever said that to me before." Kotomi's eyes shined eagerly. "That means either you're weak, or _I've_ gained weight!" Kuroo's laughs only escalated in volume while Oikawa looked like a vein popped in his head.

"Oya! She's so cheeky, I like it!" Kuroo announced as he wipes a tear from his eye.

"More like one-track minded…" Oikawa crossed his arms, trying to figure out how to get another jab in to shut all three of them up.

"Alright! I've decided!" Bokuto suddenly announced and wrapped a strong forearm around Kotomi's shoulders as he threw a fist in the air.

"I'm gonna help you train!" Kotomi's eyes lit up, and she grabbed his forearm, squeezing it. It was much harder than Oikawa's, and she could feel the sinews of his muscles pushing against the firmness of his skin. And he wasn't much older than her.

"Thank you, Bokuto-san!" Bokuto shined so brightly that Kotomi had to pull away to sheer her eyes. He puffed his chest out, and Kotomi thought he resembled an owl for a moment.

"Call me Bokuto-senpai!"

"Bokuto-senpai, you're wonderful!" She smiled and clapped her hands. But it looked more like a mother humoring her child after completing a small task like flushing the toilet or brushing his teeth properly.

"Hold on, why does he get honorifics and I don't?" Oikawa protested, but Bokuto and Kotomi were lost in their own world. But to think that she was capable of smiling like _that._ It annoyed Oikawa for a number of reasons.

"Kotori-chan! That's way too long, can I call you Koto-chan?" Bokuto suddenly asked.

"Yes, if you would like."

"You can give me a nickname, too!"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly…" Kuroo came around behind her, and placed two hands respectfully on her waist, tugging her slightly to stand in front of him.

"I guess I'll help out, too. I am a gentleman, after all." Kotomi glanced over her shoulder, still wary. Bokuto easily reminded her of Aomine and Kise, so it was easy for her to get along with him. But this person made her anxious. But if he was aware that he made her nervous, he wasn't showing it. "I saw you earlier, you'll never take Gorilla-san out the way you just run at him. Oikawa—"

"Now you're acknowledging me!?" The brunette raged. Kuroo turned her hips so that she had to turn her head to look at him. Her stance positioned her so that she was standing out to the side, but her front-facing foot was pointed toward Oikawa. He leaned over to her ear, and a shiver ran up her spine as she swallowed the lump in her throat. He smelled like something like cinnamon, but also like the forest.

"When you run at him again, try to get behind him and get lower. Take out his knees. Everyone's weak there." Kotomi shut her eyes as the messy whorls of his hair tickled her temple, but she nodded.

"Okay."

"Good girl…" He slowly pulled away, crossing his arms while Bokuto placed his chin on Kuroo's shoulder, looking curious.

"What did ya tell her?"

"You'll see." Kotomi took a deep breath, calming her thudding heart as she opened up her eyes, cornflower blue seeming to reflect Oikawa in its hues. Oikawa smirked a little.

"That's a new look. I don't know if I like it." All the more satisfying to crush her.

Without warning, Kotomi seemingly lunged forward and ran at Oikawa as per usual. Oikawa rolled his eyes and simply prepared to grab her again, but as the distance closed in between them, Kotomi suddenly did a forward roll just half a foot away, configuring herself so that she came upright on her haunches again before throwing herself low, just as Kuroo instructed.

"Wha—" Oikawa's legs crumpled beneath him as she threw all her weight at him, and with an ungraceful 'whumpf!' they were both on the ground. Kotomi landed on Oikawa's torso, her legs splayed out on either side of him in. Her fingers spread across the middle of his chest. Bokuto whistled while Kuroo nodded in approval.

"What a good pupil I've found."

"Good job, Koto-chan!" Bokuto cheered while Oikawa groaned softly, looking up at Kotomi and flushing, his chocolatey brown eyes stared up in embarrassment as Kotomi looked down at him. Her side pony tail was completely undone and hanging in loose strands around her face, framing flushed cheeks as she panted, eyes wild with astonishment and excitement.

"I…I did it!" She looks up at Kuroo, grinning so hard that her nose crinkled at the bridge. Kuroo's eyes widened and his eyes suddenly avoided her gaze. But Kotomi was too high on adrenaline to question it. Oikawa shook his head with pink cheeks.

"Not so…fast!" He grabbed her by the knees and threw her back. Her shriek echoed in the field as she reeled back and hit her head on the ground again. Oikawa stood up and pushed her knees forward more, forcing her into an extremely uncomfortable position. Her spine protested as Oikawa pushed her legs towards her head.

"Ow, ow, ow!" She cried, tapping to signal that she gave in.

"That's another lesson! Don't let your guard down! Here's your punishment! Hahahahaha!" Oikawa laughed boisterously while Kuroo watched with bland disdain and Bokuto threw his fists in the air.

"Scummy gorilla…" The cat-like man muttered.

"Oiksya! You don't have to go that far!" Oikawa let go of Kotomi's legs to yell at the two behind him.

"No one asked you!" Kuroo turned to look at Bokuto, eyes shining with some kind of anticipatory joy.

"Bro, did you just combine 'Oikawa' and my 'oya'?" Bokuto's eyes shined similarly as he nodded, holding up a hand. Kuroo clasped their hands together as the two shared some silent understanding.

"You know it, bro."

"Bro…"

"You guys have selective hearing, or something!?" Kotomi sat up and rubbed her aching back, sighing softly. She had a breakthrough today, and that was good enough for her. She watched the three of them interact and felt an aching in her chest, despite her desire to laugh.

 _Nostalgic…that's what this sweet pain, is._ Slowly, Kotomi stood up and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Thank you three…" The young men turned to look at her as she placed her hands behind her back and smiled at them. "Thank you for your teachings and your company. I really enjoyed it."

"Ah, well…" Kuroo rubbed the back of his head, seeming genuinely bashful. He wasn't used to such sincerity.

"We'll keep coming by to teach you! This Gorilla seems like he can't train you, since you learned from Kuroo so fast!" Bokuto offered, which Kuroo seemed to flinch at.

"Hey! I'm training her just fine!" Oikawa pointed at her accusingly. "Don't think you can just replace me! _I'm_ the one who's going to beat you up!"

"That's an awful thing to say!" Bokuto cried.

"Iwaizumi is right, you're a nasty guy…" Kuroo added. But Kotomi laughed quietly.

"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten…" Kotomi pointed right back at him, cornflower blue regarded him with a determined gaze with a glint of mischief. "You're my final test, I'll know I've reached the top when I've beat you!" Oikawa blanched at her, cheeks reddening again.

"Ooohhhh! I'm all fired up! Hey, hey, hey! Spar with me, next!" Bokuto hopped up and down.

"Okay!" As the two took their stances, Kuroo grabbed Oikawa by the shoulder with a dark expression. He glanced at Kotomi and Bokuto to make sure they were busy enough to miss this interaction.

"We actually came here to stop you today." Oikawa's expression fell into an unreadable one.

"We'll talk later." Kuroo raised an eyebrow, which made Oikawa sigh. " Just trust me. I'm not doing this just because I'm bored or anything."

"I know. I'm just sick of you taking on shit by yourself." Kuroo answered as he released Oikawa's shoulder. "I'll play along, though."

"Kuroo..."

"If you screw up, Iwaizumi will kick my ass, too." Kuroo said with a smirk before he approached Kotomi again. "I'll teach you how to wipe the floor with Bokuto and the Gorilla here, little bird~ Then I'll be your final test."

"Yes, thank you!" Kuroo didn't falter at the sight of Kotomi's excitement this time.

Oikawa couldn't help but scoff, but was lacking the vitriol he first felt burn his throat when he spoke with Kotomi before; no matter how much he willed it to appear, his milky brown eyes followed Kotomi into her fighting stance again. Bokuto bounced on his feet with excitement.

" _You're a hard worker…we're similar in that way, at least…"_ Her words echoed in his mind and he wondered just why he was so open with helping someone like her in the first place.

 _Whoever her precious people are…they've really got a piece of work on their hands._

* * *

 **Citadel Army Training Grounds**

"Shit!" Aomine groans in pain as he was kicked in the stomach so hard he flew back, landing on his side. Kise followed suit shortly, having been punched in the gut so hard the blonde was holding his stomach, retching as he felt his dinner threatening to make a reappearance.

"It's not good enough to be fast! Think!" Nijimura shouted, pointing his gun at Aomine and his knife at Kise. "The enemy won't overlook this. You're both dead." He easily sidestepped a lunging Murasakibara, who was covered in dirt from being knocked back so much.

"Ugh, so annoying…" The purple haired teen groaned, but his eyes were fierce.

"I'll be less annoying when you're dead. It's not good enough to be big, either." He turned to face Midorima, whose glasses had been shattered again. He was sitting on the floor, unable to see two feet in front of him. Nijimura approached Midorima.

"Stand up." The green-haired boy hesitated, struggled to his feet, and put up a pretty impressive guard, but Nijimura faked a right hook and uses his left, striking the boy in the head. Midorima stumbled backwards and crashed to the floor as hard as the others.

"Even if you specialize in long-distance, the battlefield is unpredictable and doesn't care what your specialty is! And Kuroko!" He turned to face the bluenette, who deflates upon his discovery.

"You're hesitating!" Nijimura grabbed the collar of the young boy, pulled him off the ground slightly and shook him menacingly. "There's no hesitating! You come at me like you're going to kill me!" He dropped a white-faced Kuroko to the ground, facing the lot of them as the baby blue-haired boy stood on shaky knees, terrified.

"This is insane…I can't handle this." Murasakibara whined, wiping away some sweat from his forehead.

"We have to," Akashi said, also covered in scratches and marks sure to become bruises later. "Or we won't survive out there."

"Akashi's right. I'm being cruel because it's a cruel world out there. Don't hesitate, or you die. Think, or you die. Kill, or you _die._ That's how the world works out there, so get used to it. Now! Come at me again!"

"Right!" They all shouted, rushing Nijimura all at once.

* * *

 **The Tree**

Kotomi wasn't too sure when it was that she dozed off. When she was aware of her surroundings again, she was laying in the grass, and the sun was setting in the horizon. She glanced to either side of her, Kuroo sprawled out on his side, one hand rested under his head and the other laid in front of him. His fingers were tangled in his own messy bedhead, surprisingly long lashes casted shadows on high cheekbones. Bokuto was on his back in starfish position, mouth wide open and drool sliding down his chin. Down by her feet was Oikawa; his slumbering visage faced her, and his arms were tucked carefully under his head.

The wind ruffled warm brown hair, and his chest rose and fell with his breathing, eyes shut serenely. She smiled a little, admiring his long lashes and his handsome features.

"He's much cuter when he's not moving his mouth." She sighed while she poked his cheek.

"I'll say." Kotomi looked up in surprise at the new voice, spotting the original spikey haired boy she first saw with Oikawa. He wore the same outfit he had been wearing before, hands tucked into his sweatshirt pockets as he looked down at her.

"You're the hummingbird?" Kotomi's shoulders relaxed a little, but not completely. After Oikawa's rocky first impression, Kotomi was wary of him. He hadn't really interacted with her on that day, so she didn't know anything about them except for the fact that he seemed pretty rough with Oikawa.

"You must be Iwa-chan."

"Only friends call me that. The name's Iwaizumi. I just came to get these idiots." His eyes looked her up and down, taking in the sweat, dirt, and the slightest traces of blood on her person, expression unreadable.

"Sorry, they must have been pretty annoying."

"Oh, no. It's fine. I asked them to spar with me." Kotomi shook her head and stood up slowly, ignoring the ache of her arms and legs as they protested to stay on the ground.

"I see. Any particular reason for that?"

"Simple. I want to be a medic who can protect and heal on the battlefield." Iwaizumi raised a brow.

"Don't they have training for that?"

"Not really, they don't expect you to engage in combat, just to get the injured out of the way. They're pretty expendable, I guess."

"Maybe because you'd have to be suicidal to rush onto a battlefield without knowing how to fight." Kotomi exhaled in what was supposed to be a laugh.

"I suppose."

"So why not just stay home?" A breeze rushed through the both of them.

"Because…" Iwaizumi felt a chill up his spine as Kotomi's lips turned up slightly, and she stared past him, into the distance at the setting sun. Iwaizumi couldn't help but notice the way the way the setting sun seemed to cast an eerie shadow over her lovely visage.

"I feel like I won't ever be able to die in peace, knowing I didn't give my life my all." Iwaizumi realized with a chill that the expression she made was somehow very familiar to him. There was a long pause between the both of them, saved when Oikawa suddenly stirred, sitting up. He rubbed an eye and looked up at his friend, groaning.

"Geh…it's Iwa-chan, what an ugly sight to wake up to…" Iwaizumi almost felt a vein pop in response to Oikawa's sleepy jab, though he's grateful that he had an out.

"You want to sleep forever? Get up. You two. Sawamura's mad." He kicked both of the other boys in the head, with Kuroo waking with a long, languid stretch and Bokuto popping up with a soft 'hoot' noise that made Kotomi cover her mouth.

 _Like a cat and an owl…_

"Well then, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then, Kotori-chan." Oikawa stood up with a stretch and a yawn, offering her a tranquil smile. Iwaizumi shot Kuroo a glare, but the taller boy didn't respond.

"Yes. It was nice to meet you, Bokuto-san, Kuroo-san." Kotomi bowed politely to them. The two were too tired to properly greet her, merely tossing a small wave and mumbling something like 'see you tomorrow.' She watched them as they walked in the direction opposite to her. It wasn't as if people didn't live outside the main city, but to do so was very rare. Did they all live together?

"Where do you guys live?" They all paused when she asked them. Kotomi didn't pay any mind to it. _Visiting friends at their homes. I've never done that before._ She thought with excitement. "If you guys want, I could-"

"Don't even think about following us." Oikawa's cold tone chilled Kotomi's blood as he turned back to look at her. And suddenly, all four of them sent the same look her way, as if challenging her to disagree. Brown, black, and golden eyes were suddenly knives that cut into her very core. Were they really the same age as her…?

 _These people…could be a threat._ Her gut instinct was warning her to leave it at this, and she heeded that advice. Kotomi swallowed hard and offered a small nod, turning to leave without another word. When Oikawa was teasing her, insulting her, trying to provoke her, it didn't evoke the same fear that she felt just now. Not only did it sting a little, but it made her wonder where there was such a disparity with the way he acted when they were 'sparring' and the instance of real danger she felt just now.

 _It was as if…he's been playing a game with me until now. I wasn't a threat. If they really wanted to…._

"They could kill you." She said out loud. Kotomi realized the cold of dusk hit her skin, and she looked up at the sky. The land before turned a quiet blue, and the lights of the city started to light her way home. The walk home suddenly felt much longer than before, but Kotomi sped up her walk back, as if those long-gone glares would overwhelm her if she tried to steal a glance over her shoulder.

There was a chance that they were dangerous people. Should she ask Momoi what to do? No, it was obvious that Momoi would tell her to stay away from them. And then nothing would change. They were kids just like her, no matter how strange.

So... wasn't it okay to just ignore this bad feeling in her gut?

* * *

 **1 Month Later-Wastelands**

"Are you lot ready? We're about to enter Warzone 13." Nijimura said as he halted the advance of the men, his voice being broadcasted to the squadron of 150 men via earpieces created by the technology division. In the center stood the newest trainees. They were in the safest position. This was a learning experience, after all.

"Remember, be alert. There is no safe zone in this area. Our intel is aware of 139 men in this sector alone. They have the vantage point here." Akashi glanced at his friends. Kise and Kuroko were visibly trembling, even with the layers of the heavy clothing and bulletproof vest that cloaked their forms.

"Be calm," He assured them, eyes also traveling to Midorima, who was sweating already. Aomine seemed tense, but focused. Murasakibara seemed unfettered, which was a relief.

"We trained." He assured them.

"Kotomicchi…" Kise clutched the tiny gold pouch close to his chest, bringing it to his lips and closing his eyes as tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

"Eyes open, Kise!" Midorima hissed as they began to advance into the ruins of what was once a city. It was just 5 miles away, a city overrun by foreign invaders. Their mission was to take this place and make it yet another base to operate out of. Armored trucks drove behind them, carrying supplies, medics, and tech.

"Stay alert." Akashi echoed Nijimura, hands tightening on the automatic rifle every soldier was given.

"Akashi-kun…" Kuroko's impassive tone was shaky. "I think I'm going to be sick." Akashi felt a pang of sympathy. He asked for Kuroko to come, and the bluenette accepted, but they were all in over their heads. Just the anticipation alone was about to kill 3 of them.

"Kuro- "Before he could even begin to soothe his frayed nerves, a shout that echoed in the air made Akashi's heart stop.

"Enemy sighted! Open fire!" As gunshots started ringing through the air, the five friends shared the same exact expression of horror. Even Akashi, only for a moment, felt his heart leap into his throat.

" _Sei-kun!"_ He looked behind him, and he felt his eyes sting as he saw Kotomi, Momoi, and a woman with long, flowing red hair similar to his own with a hand on the girls' shoulders. Kotomi extended a hand, and the woman's voice called for him as well.

" _Seijuro..."_

 _I'll bring everyone home._ With great pain, Akashi turned away from them and shouted to his family, eyes widened. One eye almost seems to reflect the color of the grenade explosion that obscured their vision with smoke and ash, and their ears with screams and tinnitus.

" _We're all going to survive."_ He assured them once more, his voice steady. "Because we have to go home!"\

* * *

 **Omake:**

"K-Kotomi-chan! Your eye!" Kotomi gaped as Riko showed her the black eye that marred her face in a mirror.

"T-That explains why my face hurt this morning…" _Thank god I left before anyone saw me..._ Alex was fumbling with a compact of makeup, looking ready to murder.

"Who hits a girl like this? Who the hell is so _shitty?"_ Kotomi looked away, disdain on her features.

"A really scummy guy I know. He's merciless." Riko and Alex shared a frightened look.

 _Was this cute girl secretly a delinquent?_

" _Achoo!"_ Oikawa sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve, while Iwaizumi leaned away.

"If you get sick, I'll kill you."

"Hey!"


	4. Growing Pains

**Author's Note: I'm having so much fun writing this. But this chapter was really hard for me. So much happens and It's hard to keep chapters condensed, haha. But I really hope you guys like it. Let me know if you have questions, please. Your reviews sustain me, give me life.**

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Growing Pains**

"You're getting better, little bird." Kotomi looks up from her position on the ground, not seeming convinced.

"You're still wiping the floor with me."

"But of course," Oikawa shrugs, shrugging dramatically with a sardonic chuckle. "Don't think you can catch up with me so easily, since you've never fought a day in your life."

He looks back to look at Kotomi's frustrated expression, but instead he finds her looking towards the city, her expression empty. In the last month he's been training with her like this, he would often catch expressions like that. It was a bit strange, since other days it seemed like she never stopped thinking, and she always had a retort to throw back at him.

"Kotomi-chan?" The dark-haired teen looks back at him as if she's jolted back to reality, surprised to hear him use her real name.

"No more 'little bird' or 'Kotori-chan'?1" Oikawa blinks, not having realized. He covers it up by scoffing and crossing his arms.

"You were off daydreaming, I had to get your attention."

"Right, sorry. It's just…no, it's nothing." Kotomi looks up at him and smiles gently, hopping to her feet.

"Let's keep going!" Oikawa finds himself smiling as well, taking his stance again. As she throws a punch at him, he notices that she's already gained some muscle to her arms. Her knuckles were already rough. Did she practice by herself, too?

Her expression is wild and excited, her bright blue eyes shine like a kid who's just about to tag the fastest kid in class as she feints a right hook and switches to a roundhouse at the last second, and even though he catches both attempted blows, she grins so wide her nose crinkles a little at the bridge. She wouldn't have been able to do this a month ago. He's so impressed by her progress, though he wouldn't voice this, Oikawa finds himself grinning alongside with her.

He would take this over that empty expression any day.

* * *

"Bokuto-san, please hold still."

"But it hurts!" Bokuto whines and tries to escape the pain-soaked cotton ball Kotomi is trying to replace on his cut.

"I guarantee an infection will hurt a lot worse than this. How did you even get like this, anyway?" Bokuto looks away, huffing angrily.

"Iwaizumi is tough bastard." Kotomi's eyes spark with interest and she leans in a little, head tilted curiously.

"Do you think he'd be willing to teach me too?" A pair of tanned, strong arms wrap around her from behind. Kotomi looks up to find an angular jawline as Kuroo rests chin on top of her head.

"You've already got these three men throwing themselves at you every day and you want more? You're so greedy, little bird." Both Kotomi and Bokuto's faces turn bright red at the suggestive way he said that, and Kotomi covers her face while Bokuto rages.

"Don't say things like that, Kuroo! You'll corrupt her!" Oikawa is watching their interaction with slightly narrowed eyes.

"I know what he means, Bokuto-san."

"Hah!?" Oikawa brings his finger to his mouth, moving before he can even realize what he's doing.

"Kotori-chan! Look, I'm cut too!"

"Uwah!" Oikawa practically throws himself at her girl, presenting the blood running down his finger. Kotomi looks at his finger, then the smear of blood on his bottom lip, and giggles.

"Okay, hold on…" Bokuto and Kuroo share a knowing expression while Oikawa hums and watches her work.

 _He definitely got jealous, just now._

* * *

"Thank you for coming, Iwaizumi-san!" Kotomi had not forgotten how terrifying he looked that day, and so she was a little tense around the dark-haired friend of Oikawa's. Speaking of Oikawa,

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Iwaizumi sounds skeptical, with good reason. They were the same age, but he was bulkier and taller than her. While she didn't seem nearly as fragile as she used to be, he could still snap her in two.

"Yes. Please don't go easy on me. I won't ask you to stop." Kotomi takes her fighting stance, eyes sharp and alert.

"Alright, here I go." Kotomi runs at him as she does with everyone else, but at the last second she pivots around him. He doesn't turn right away to watch her, knowing that's what she wanted. She's small, so he expects her to aim low as Kenma would. He knew Kuroo had also trained with her before. As she ducks to tackle his knees, he turns and grabs the back of her shirt, spinning around and kneeing her in the stomach. She coughs and falls to her knees.

Iwaizumi backs up to watch her, waiting for her next move, not expecting her to lunge at him again just a second later, even with pain still registering in her eyes. He grabs her by the collar of her shirt but instead of trying to get away, Kotomi throws herself at him, grabbing his head and headbutting him, forcing him to let go of her. While he's stunned, she circles around him again and hops onto his back, putting him in a sleeper hold, her legs wrapped around his waist to keep herself anchored there.

Iwaizumi growls and throws his head back, smashing Kotomi in the face which knocks her off his back and onto the ground again.

"Shit. Now the back and front of my head hurt... but that was good…" He turns to congratulate her.

"Ah."

"Well, she didn't ask you to stop." Kuroo mutters, seeming a little disturbed as he looks down at the unconscious preteen propped up against the tree.

"If I hadn't, she would have choked me out." Iwaizumi states, though there is concern in his eyes. Oikawa and Bokuto, however, are raging. Bokuto is throwing a tantrum in the backdrop of the other three, throwing rocks and calling Iwaizumi expletives he typically tried not to use around girls.

"Did you have to go for her _face?"_

"You're a monster, Iwa-chan! What kind of man gives a girl a _nosebleed!?"_ Oikawa almost screeches, wanting to rage around too, but he's too busy holding a tissue to Kotomi's face as she's propped up against the tree to keep the blood from pouring from her nose.

"I had to meet her resolve." Iwaizumi states. "She was serious, it was important I meet her with my own resolve too. Besides, I thought you hated her?"

"I did." Oikawa says this quietly, Bokuto's ranting still faintly echoing behind the silence. Iwaizumi raises an eyebrow at this. "But hating someone who's just trying to protect people leaves a bitter taste in my mouth."

"Aren't any of you in the least bit concerned?" This stops Bokuto as he tilts his head to listen, Iwaizumi's eyes flashing down to Kotomi, as if to make sure she was really unconscious.

"She's from the city. And you're teaching her how to fight. She's a threat."

"She's not." Oikawa's eyes are suddenly serious as chocolate brown meets coffee brown, a smile crossing his features.

"Kotori-chan just wants to protect herself and her loved ones, and she doesn't know anything, so she's not a threat." Iwaizumi seems unconvinced, while Kuroo seems perturbed by something in the conversation.

"People will do incredible things to protect the ones they love." He tosses a lazy wave over his shoulder as he starts to walk away.

* * *

"I'm heading home early, make sure she's okay before you let her go home!" Oikawa opens his mouth to protest, but closes it a moment after, sighing a little. After a few minutes, Kotomi wake up suddenly, eyes wide.

"Iwaizumi-san! Again!"

"He left already."

"Never mind that, Koto-chan! How's your head? Your head!" Bokuto makes odd little grabby motions toward her, which makes her inch away from him. He looked like a creepy old man like that.

"It's fine…" Kotomi seems a little put out, deflating as she blows the strands of hair out of her face and replaces Oikawa's hand at her nose with her own.

"I can't believe I was knocked unconscious. I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize. Iwa-chan liked you." Three pairs of eyes regard Oikawa with surprise, shock and confusion.

"You…can tell?"

"I've known Iwa-chan longer than anyone. He's impressed by your guts. I'm sure whatever you did was pretty cool."

"Why don't you show us, little bird?"

"Show us, show us!" Kotomi beams with pride as she tries to stand up, not realizing that she was even falling over until she hit the ground again.

"Got it! Ah…"

" _Uwahhhhh!"_ All three pairs of hands are reaching out to catch her.

 _"_ Koto-chan! Is she dead!?"

"Kotori-chan!"

"Little bird!"

* * *

Today was the first time in a long time that Kotomi had seen Momoi. Two months have passed at this point with the two only catching glimpses of each other or spending a day a week together. With Kotomi either training or sparring, and Momoi hard at work doing her analysis and strategizing with the data teams, there was little desire to talk about work.

"Koto-chan, you seem like you've grown so much…" Kotomi glances up from her book to blink at Momoi, offering up a proud smile.

"I've been exercising a lot. What do you think? Do you think I look more ladylike?" Momoi nods and giggles, cuddling up to her friend and sighing happily.

"So ladylike, I'm a little jealous." Kotomi's eyes can't help traveling down to the other girl's chest, brow twitching in irritation as she notices that while Kotomi had a fuller figure, there were places she couldn't improve by training that Momoi just seemed blessed with.

"Has anyone caught your eye, Sa-chan?" Momoi giggles and shakes her head, cheeks turning as pink as her hair as she holds them.

"No, Tetsu-kun is all I need." Kotomi can't help feeling pity for any boy who sets his sights on Momoi. Kotomi thought Kuroko was pretty cool, too, so no one would stand a chance.

"They'll be coming soon in just two and a half years, now." Kotomi sighs. "It really feels like no time has passed at all."

"It's because we're so busy, these days…" Momoi sighs, looking down. "And even when they come back, things won't be the same. We're going to be working. You and Tetsu-kun will be on the field, and I'll be in the labs. We won't be able to spend time under the tree so much, anymore."

"Of course, I'll make time for you guys! And they'll do the same for us. It's part of growing up, I suppose."

"What about whoever it is you're seeing down by the tree?" Kotomi freezes a moment but chooses to play it off with a small laugh. Momoi was observant, intelligent, intuitive, and more. She should have known she would catch on, even with how little Kotomi saw her. She wasn't _lying_ per se, but she wouldn't deny being secretive.

"Caught me, huh? Sorry, I wanted to keep them a surprise. They're pretty shy, so I don't want to overwhelm them." Momoi looks down, her eyes seeming to darken with an emotion Kotomi couldn't quite understand.

"Hey, Kotomi, can we make a promise?"

"Hm? What is it?" Momoi takes Kotomi's hands and holds it securely, tightening.

"We'll always trust each other, right?" This catches Kotomi off guard. Momoi fidgets nervously with a candy wrapper, seeming afraid to look at her best friend.

"Satsuki? What's wrong?"

"It's just…you've been keeping a lot of secrets. Signing up to be an on-site medic, meeting up with some secret group of friends…it makes me think you don't-you don't trust me?" Kotomi's brow furrows as she sits up, holding Momoi's hands.

"Oh, Satsuki, of course I trust you. More than anyone in the whole world. I just…I don't know much about these friends myself."

"Then, aren't they dangerous?"

"No, they're good people. A little rough, but good." Momoi pauses, knowing how Kotomi rarely trusted people. She held others at arms' length, which made her a loner in school and cold in the eyes of others. It seemed to suit her just fine before, but with everyone gone, she couldn't help but wonder if Kotomi ever felt lonely.

Only she and her friends knew the warm, happy, cheerful Kotomi. So hearing her speak fondly and with certainty of someone else made her feel a bitter contradiction of being happy for her, but also feeling a myriad of less than pleasant emotions as well.

"I promise I'll tell you everything soon. I just need more time…" Kotomi glances at her best friend. "I understand if that upsets you."

"Well, I am a little annoyed," Momoi puffs her cheeks out and huffs softly, but then shrugs it away. "I trust you, Koto-chan. There's a reason you haven't told me yet, but I'm sure you will." Kotomi looks a bit misty-eyed as she throws her arms around Momoi, nuzzling her face into her peach-scented hair.

"Sa-chan, I love you!" Momoi laughs but returns the hug

Shall we nap a little before dinner?" Momoi shakes her head and cuddles up to her best friend a little more while she sighs.

"I want to have all your time right now, Koto-chan. So let's hang out and talk and _then_ we can sleep." Kotomi smiles blissfully and nods.

"I like the sound of that."

* * *

"Iwaizumi-san?" Kotomi is surprised to see no Oikawa, Bokuto, or Kuroo under the tree as per usual. The young man nods to her politely, hands stuffed into his pocket.

"Those three are coming as usual, but I wanted to check on how you're doing." Kotomi seems quite surprised by this, slowly nodding.

"I'm alright. Thank you for humoring me. I just wanted to see how well I've been progressing."

"You're getting better. Trashykawa said that you're a little harder to dodge nowadays." Kotomi seems to brighten at this, and she huffs triumphantly, crossing her arms.

"I-it's all thanks to all of you." Iwaizumi grunts a little, seeming to think on something before he turns to look at her. His next question throws her off.

"Are they your friends?" Kotomi is caught off guard by the question, cornflower blue eyes widening.

"E-excuse me?" Iwaizumi examines her alarm closely but lets out a small sigh and waves away the question polluting the air.

"Never mind. Forget I asked."

"They are." Iwaizumi looks up at her surprised by Kotomi's expression, a little worried, but also certain.

"At..at least I hope they are. I like them, and I'm not very good at interacting with others, but they make me laugh and I feel really energetic around them."

"But you don't know anything about them." Kotomi tilts her head, something in his statement confusing her a little as she looks him in the eyes.

"What else do I need to know? They're good people." His eyes widen at this, and without another word he turns away, perplexed by her response.

"I don't expect us to, but I hope we can all continue to see each other and get alone like this…as friends." Iwaizumi's face looks back at Kotomi, but remains steadfast, the only sound at the moment the rustling of the tree branches. After another beat, he sighs and turns around, starting to walk away, calling out over her shoulder.

"Make sure you tell them that!" He pauses when he hears the soft thudding of footsteps behind him, almost toppling over then he feels hands tugging at his back. Kotomi tugs on his sweatshirt, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"You too, Iwaizumi-san!" His eyes widen at her declaration, staring down at cornflower blue with his own dark brown eyes.

"I want to know more about you, too." A smile spreads across Iwaizumi's lips and he tosses another wave behind his back.

"Let's hope that's still true in the end!" Kotomi pauses when he says that, something uneasy settling in her stomach.

 _When is the end?_

* * *

 _It had all happened so fast._

"That'll be 550 Yen, please." Kotomi places her chips and box of cookies in her bag, carrying a jug of barley tea as well. Iwaizumi's words had resonated her. She wanted to get to know the four of them better. Today, there would be no sparring. Today, she hoped to sit and listen to them and their stories. Just like she did with Tetsuya and the others.

It's when she's walking out of the corner convenience store that Kotomi hears it before she sees it. A heavy booming sound makes her ears ache and ring and shakes the earth under her feet so much that she stumbles. Her eyes gravitate towards the sky as she sees a cloud of smoke and ash, the smell of burning itching her nose.

As panic begins to rise, and people run for cover, Kotomi drops her snacks, frozen in place. A strange emotion chokes her chest as she stumbles forward, walking, then jogging, running, and then she's sprinting in the direction of the crowd, shoving her way through fleeing business men and store owners. There had never been an explosion within the borders of the city. All defense mechanisms existed outside the area. Kotomi reaches into her bag and her hand brushes against he medic kit, with the basics.

Kotomi didn't know how much she could help, but something compelled her to move forward as the air around her starts to darken with soot and ash and smoke.

"You!" A fireman grabs her by the waist as she's running, immediately pressing a mask to her face.

"You can't be here, miss!" Kotomi pulls herself from her grasp and runs forward despite the firefighter calling behind her. She adjusts the mask on her face, but her eyes begin to tear and burn. In the chaos of the smoke, she sees the silhouette of a person. They were wearing tactical gear and a mask. They turn their head to her, and Kotomi's heart leaps out of her chest as she recognizes a messy head of chocolate brown locks.

She rubs at her eyes, but trips in her moment of blindness, falling to her knees with her palms landing on something wet. When she looks up, the figure is gone. With bleary eyes, Kotomi looks down, her hands stained red. Her heart stops as she follows the trail of liquid to the source.

"Help me…" A young woman lay unmoving on the ground, half of her trapped beneath the rubble of a nearby collapsing building. Her lips were moving, a small line of red dripping down her lips from the head wound she sported.

"Hang on. It's okay, I'm a medic." Kotomi reaches up and starts pushing on the debris, clearing glass, clearing chunks of wood, and concrete. With a heaving shove, Kotomi manages to free the woman's body from the debris, but Kotomi could already tell that she couldn't actually move. It was then that Kotomi noticed the shard of wood in her abdomen. Kotomi has to pause, about to vomit from the gruesome scene, a ball of ice burning coldly in her stomach. Trembling fingers reach for her medic kit.

 _Don't remove any obtrusions, it will speed up blood loss. Remove victim from danger._

"I'm going to move you, okay?" She pulls her handkerchief from her bag and presses it to the wound on her head, pressing hard despite the pained whimper.

 _Head wounds are often superficial, but when you aren't sure, act as if it's life-threatening._

"I don't want to die." The woman whimpers, and Kotomi releases a shaky breath, smiling as calmly as she could manage.

 _Be reassuring. Fear means faster heart rate; faster heartrate means blood loss._

"You won't. It's okay." Kotomi reaches down slips the woman's arm around her waist and throws the other over her shoulder, keeping the injured side away from contact. She staggers slightly under the weight, but thanks to Oikawa's trainings, the burden was manageable. She carries the woman until they're met by firefighters, who separate the women from Kotomi and then pick Kotomi up by the waist, only because she turned to run into the explosion again.

Kotomi looks down at her hands, still stained in the woman's blood, and only then does she realize her heart is racing, her eyes are blurry from the particulates and from tears still unspilled. But they weren't from fear of the blood or fear from the woman's life. But recognition, and sympathy.

 _I've seen this all before._

* * *

They helped her wash away the blood from her hands, did preliminary examinations on her health, and asked her how she was feeling. Once the air had been cleared some, literally, from the city, and from Kotomi's sudden appearance and decision to quite literally run into the thick of it, she got quite the scolding from the first responders. One officer seriously considered informing Akashi Masaomi about his charge and her behavior. But Kotomi sat politely and took her scolding before making her case.

"I was close by, and I knew people were danger. My intention wasn't to undermine your authority or do your jobs for you. I just knew people were hurt and needed help." With a conflicted look from the officers and the firefighters, she was given a small pat on the shoulder.

"That's very good, young lady, but you should think about how your family would react if you had gotten hurt. There may have been a second explosion, or the culprits may have been in the area." Kotomi tries not to tense, remembering that chocolatey color she had spotted in the midst of the chaos. There's no way she couldn't recognize it, but she couldn't believe it, either.

"Yes, sir…"

"Go home, alright? I think you've had enough excitement for the day. Just be more careful, next time." Kotomi heads in the direction of the Akashi manor, sighing softly. But she walks right on by to the bath down to the tree, planning to relax there a moment.

"Kotomi!" Kotomi smells something metal in the air before she sees who's called her name. From the distance, she could see an amorphous blob gain shape. She recognized chocolate brown hair and spiky black hair.

"Oikawa-san…?" She runs to meet him, he expression growing more alarmed and wide-eyed as she took everything in. Oikawa was carrying Iwaizumi, holding his friend by the waist.

They were covered in ash.

And blood.

Oikawa was crying.

Iwaizumi wasn't moving,

His tactical gear is bloody.

"Please, help him! Please…"

* * *

"He'll be alright. Glass is a little easier to remove than anything else. Just be glad that there was only one piece." Her voice is gentle as she places the glass shard on the ground beside her.

"Will he live?" Kotomi had never seen Oikawa like this, before. He was sitting with his back to her and an unconscious Iwaizumi, shoulders lowered, head resting in between his knees.

"The wound needs to be irrigated. I can…I can try to stitch it. I think he needs a hospital."

"We can't go."

"But- "

" _We can't go."_ Kotomi tugs Iwaizumi's shirt up a little farther, so she could check the gash in his stomach one last time, pursing her lips.

"Then I'll try to stitch him up. And then we watch closely, make sure it doesn't get infected." Oikawa turns to look at her, watching her pull out a needle and thread from her box, alongside a lighter and an alcohol pad.

"I didn't know where else to go."

"I know."

"Don't let him die."

"You're being dramatic, he won't."

"…Aren't you going to ask how?" Kotomi flicks the lighter on, heating the needle and then wiping down the area of Iwaizumi's wound.

"It's not good to ask victims of trauma about their trauma right away."

"How do you know that?"

"It's what they said about me, too. Hold his hand, I don't have any kind of numbing." Oikawa does what she says, expression shocked by her admission, but Kotomi is too preoccupied to address it. She gently runs her hands through Iwaizumi's hair, surprised by how soft it was, despite its sharp appearance.

"Iwaizumi-san, I'm sorry," she murmurs, pressing the tip of the needle to his flesh, hearing him hiss slightly. "This is going to hurt."

When Kotomi finishes, she sits back with a heavy sigh, wiping away the sweat on her forehead with her arm. It was sloppy, but the wound was closed now. Iwaizumi had woken up to scream in pain before passing out again. Kotomi turns to Oikawa, who is cradling his hand from how tightly Iwaizumi squeezed it. But the typically animated, whiny young man didn't make a single sound the entire ordeal.

"Is your hand okay?" When he doesn't answer her, she sighs and starts to pack up.

"Why are you helping us?" Kotomi pauses, looking down at her hands, slightly bloodied, burned, and sweaty. She sighs.

"Why do you think?"

"Answer the question."

"No." Kotomi gasps as she's grabbed roughly and whirled her around to look at him. Instead of worried or sad, he looked furious, chocolate brown turned dark as he grips her shoulders tighter. Kotomi flinches but remains as impassive as she could manage.

"Don't _fuck_ with me. _Why?_ I know you think that we had something to do with that explosion. We saw you. You saw us. And then we came to you, dressed like this. You helped a woman who was hurt by us. So tell me, _why_ aren't you asking? Why are you helping? _What_ are you thinking?" Kotomi stares up at him, unreadable.

"I don't know." His eyes widen and his grip on her loosens. Kotomi glances back at Iwaizumi.

 _Iwaizumi-san, I know what I want to say, now. I'm going to tell him._

"What the hell do you mean…?" Kotomi takes his surprise as a chance to turn the tables and ask a question of her own.

"What about you? You've been suspicious of me from the start. But you continued to come see me. You've continued to train me, even knowing I could hurt you one day." Oikawa scoffs.

"You couldn't. You can barely touch me." Kotomi nods in agreement.

"I could have promised to help, and then just killed Iwaizumi-san." His eyes narrow and tighten on her shoulders again.

"But I didn't."

"Stop _dodging_ and _answer_ my question." Kotomi glares at him, reaching up slowly with both hands, and then suddenly slapping his face with both palms.

 _SMACK._ Oikawa lets go to hold his now stinging cheeks glaring at her. He snarls and gets in her face.

"You haven't figured it out, _Stupidkawa?"_ She groans in exasperation, standing up, pressing a hand to her chest.

"Just because I _could_ do it doesn't mean I _want_ to." Oikawa's eyes widen as he stares up at her, never having seen a conflicted expression on her face like this, before.

"You want to know what I'm thinking? I think you guys are from the outside. That's why you hated me so much. You're here to attack us internally, but you couldn't wait when I arrived. So you set your sights on me. It makes sense." She coughs out a laugh, but it burns her throat so much that her eyes tear up. It seems so uncharacteristic that Oikawa looks a little unnerved.

"Kotori-"

"But I helped you, I laughed with you, I sparred with you. I… _enjoyed_ being beside you. So I pretended not to notice. I kept you a secret from my best friend, and the people who _raised me_."

"Hey-"

"I've always been able to ignore people and keep them away. I thought all I needed was Tetsuya and the others, and it's all I cared about, but not anymore! I helped that woman because I think it's my duty, but I helped Iwaizumi-san because I don't want him to die and I don't want you to get hurt." She rambles on and on, turning away from him while she rants. She had been keeping quiet for so long, now, not even able to tell Momoi. It was all out in the open now, so she couldn't stop the words flowing from her mouth.

"That's why I don't want to care about who you are. I don't want to think about what you're here for. All I can do is put my faith in you, because you're my friend! You're not a bad person, none of you are." Suddenly, Oikawa wraps his arms around her, winding them tightly around her waist and pulling Kotomi close, one hand threading through her air, the other holding her to him.

"That's a stupid thing to decide…you really are a freak." He hides his face in the crook of her neck, holding her so tightly that Kotomi turns pink in the face, embarrassed.

"Let go."

"No."

"I hate you."

"No you don't."

"You just said I'm a freak."

"And I'm friends with a freak." Kotomi pouts and hides her face in his chest, smelling that unique minty, pine scent of his and sighing softly. It was so draining, to be so emotional. And it was irrational. How was she supposed to protect them and Akashi and the others? Oh, well. She was just going to enjoy this. His hugs feel nice.

"Kotori-chan…" Kotomi looks up at Oikawa, her eyes widening as Oikawa starts leaning in, his face closing the distance between him. His eyes are trained on parted lips.

"Oika-" A rock suddenly flies out of nowhere and beans Oikawa in the head, earning a squawk of pain. Kotomi looks to the source, cheeks pink. Was he just about to—

"You've got some nerve, _Shittykawa._ " Despite his now throbbing forehead, Oikawa gasps and runs over to his friend, kneeling by him with teary eyes.

"Iwa-chan!" Iwaizumi kicks him, growling in irritation.

"Don't shout! You're a pain!" He grunts and holds his wound. Kotomi snaps out of her daze and kneels by him, touching his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't do much, but I did my best. You'll be in a lot of pain, though." Iwaizumi glances at her, and then away.

"Right. Thanks…"

"Hold on, Kotori-chan! Let this guy die, after all! I've been worried about him and he went and threw a rock at me!"

"Shut up! This wouldn't have happened if you had just moved when I told you to move back in the city!"

"Ow! Iwa-chan!" Kotomi blinks, raising a hand.

"Maybe you guys shouldn't—"

"Shut up while I'm hitting you, _Shittykawa!_ "

"Ow! You bastard! Ow, Iwa-chan, ow!"

"You tryin' to kill me!" Kotomi feels a vein pop in her a head a bit, her voice shaking a bit as she tries to remain composed.

"Guys…"

"Don't bite me, you—"

" _ **HEY!"**_ The two boys stop bickering long enough to gape at Kotomi, whose voice had dropped an octave and raised in volume. They both shrink down under her glare.

" _ **Iwaizumi-san. Oikawa-san worked really hard to get you to me, don't be hitting him, even if he deserves it."**_ He grunts in agreement, a bead of sweat slipping down his temple.

"Yes, ma'am."

" _ **Oikawa-san. You were crying over Iwaizumi-san dying, don't aggravate his wound or I'll kill you myself. Understood?"**_

"Yes…" Oikawa's eyes are trained to the ground, though his cheeks are pink. This doesn't escape Iwaizumi, who looks a mix of confused, shocked, and creeped out.

 _Why the hell does he look so pleased?_ Her expression softens, and she claps her hands together, and she smiles gently.

"Good! You two should head back. Come back here if Iwaizumi starts feeling any soreness or you see any red around the stitches. We should be able to remove them in two weeks. Try to see about irrigating the wound with clean water, okay? And let me know if you need anything for anyone. I'll see what I can do."

Without waiting for a response, Kotomi turns around to continue cleaning up, humming happily to herself about how things had been resolved. The two exchange the same expression.

 _Cute, but terrifying!_

* * *

"Be careful heading back. Iwaizumi-san, please don't let your stitches open up." She frets over them a bit, adjusting the wrappings she had put around Iwaizumi for extra cover before she pulls away, satisfied.

"Are we still on for sparring tomorrow, Kotori-chan?"

"If you're up for it!" Kotomi raises her fists, pumping them excitedly. "I'll bring juice and snacks to replenish ourselves with! Don't keep me waiting too long!" Oikawa smiles gently. It's not his typical smirk, or the sly grin that either sends girls swooning or sends Iwaizumi's fist into his face. It's a quiet, fond curve of the lips.

"I've decided." Kotomi blinks a few times, tilting her head.

"Decided…?"

"No, nothing you need to worry about now, Kotomi." He helps Iwaizumi turn to walk away, turning to look back at Kotomi, noting how dirty she looked from her skirmish with him and the city, and yet her eyes shone brightly, her shoulders still stood tall.

"I'll see you tomorrow!" As he and Iwaizumi disappear under the cover of the setting sun, Kotomi turns to leave, picking up her bag and slinging it over her shoulder when she pauses.

 _Wait…he just used my name without honorifics just now.2_ But this makes Kotomi smile, and she finds herself skipping despite her aching legs, drooping eyelids, and stinging finger tips. As the two boys walk home, Iwaizumi finally brings it up.

"I didn't take you to be a masochist."

"I am not! But isn't she really cute when she's mad!?"

"I thought I was going to die." But Oikawa smiles and looks up at the sky, his expression soft.

"She wouldn't let that happen, Iwa-chan."

"…Yeah, I know."

* * *

 _ **Two and a Half Years Later…**_

Gunfire and smoke fill the air as a soldier lay clutching his leg, dragging himself on the ground as he searched fruitlessly for safety. There was no visibility, no ally in sight, and no end to the rain of bullets. With nothing else to do, the man rested his head on the dirt and resigned himself to die.

"EM KF-16 active and providing extraction!" A hand plants itself securely on the man's shoulder, a strong shake jarring him back to alertness. Above him stood a young woman with dark hair and light blue eyes. She's smiling gently, but already doing a firm preliminary examination, grasping spots on his limbs, wrists, stopping when she gets to his injured leg.

"Can you move, soldier?"

"Negative, ma'am...my leg." Immediately, he's hoisted up to his good leg, and one strong arm wraps around his waist, the other angled down to lean on a much shorter shoulder. They begin a swift, but careful maneuver around disturbed dirt where land mines lay, over various debris, and the medic kicks away a stray rifle left behind by some unlucky soldier. They stop, however, when they come across another unconscious body. She calls out to him, but receiving no answer, resolves to grabbing the man by the arm, pulling him up and slinging him over the other side.

"I'm gonna ask you to help me walk and support him, soldier, can you do that?"

"Affirmative, ma'am." Without another question, they're back to moving through the battlefield, taking refuge behind flipped cars and broken concrete walls. It was slow, but safe. They stop behind a concrete slab, and the medic does a preliminary check on the unconscious soldier.

She flips his wrist over, noting the bright red stain there. Then, she lifts his helmet slightly, taking note there was red, too.

"A head injury and a wrist injury. He's unresponsive, which might denote head damage." She notes to herself, nodding. She peers slightly over the concrete, reaching slowly for the gun holstered on her hip.

"We're going to charge out. I'm going to carry this one, but I need you to run close behind us." She kneels by his injury, pulling out her bandages, which are hanging securely on her backpack, wrapping his leg tightly so quickly he doesn't even realize until the touches his knee, patting it experimentally. She then hoists the man over her shoulder again, looking to the young man. She smiles gently, her air quite soothing despite the atmosphere.

"We'll be alright." The man tenses, feeling a surge of confidence from her words. He smiles right back.

"Ready? One, two….three!" She runs out, running as quickly as she can while carrying the unconscious man, with the other soldier right behind her. She scoops up a fallen trash can cover, eyes scanning at least 15 feet ahead of her. So far, so good.

 _Click._ Spoke too soon. Kotomi's hand goes for the gun but her hears the trigger, and she pulls up her makeshift shield to cover her face from the side. It was blind spot, which was obscured by the soldier she was holding. But she manages to barely protect them, and she falls back in her haste, hitting the ground with the unconscious soldier beside her. She looks up at her assailant, his gun trained on her. He fires once, hitting her square in the chest, knocking her to the ground.

"Ow!"

"Gotcha." The gunfire stops and the two soldiers straighten themselves, sighing. She shoots up and groans loudly, kicking her legs in childish frustration and glaring at the small splatter of red on her bulletproof vest.

"Curses!" The assailant laughs a bit, removing his helmet, revealing a kind-faced young man just a few years her senior, with large bushy brows, warm, coffee colored eyes, and head of scruffy hair the color of chocolate mousse.

"That's a new one! Even when you're killed, you speak so properly, Kotomi-chan." He holds out a hand and Kotomi takes it, standing up so she can dust herself off.

"Well, I know it's a simulation. It's hard to know if that's how I'll really react."

"I hope we don't find out any time soon. You're just beginning your deployment as a medic. Warzone 13, right?" Kotomi nods, pushing her hair behind her ear. The young man touches a lock of her hair, smiling fondly.

"Your hair is pretty, but have you thought about cutting it? It might be dangerous."

"Mm, I asked Riko-chan to help me with it. Part of me still wants to look cute, just a little."

"Do you have a man to impress?" Kotomi's cheeks turn pink and she huffs, shaking her head.

"I've got way too many troublesome men in my life to worry about for that, Kiyoshi-senpai." He laughs at this, ruffling her hair with an affectionately large bear-like hand.

"Any man who's not impressed by you is strange, Kotomi-chan." She sighs and crosses her arms, turning to the fallen 'soldiers', who pulls off their helmets to reveal a blonde head of hair pulled back into a ponytail and beautiful eyes of emerald green, and short caramel brown hair and eyes to match.

"Thank you for your help, Alex-sensei, Riko-chan." Alex throws her arms around Kotomi, something she's just learned to expect from her personality type, in these last two years. She nuzzles Kotomi affectionately.

"Anything for you, cutie pie! I can't believe you're really going, soon!"

"I can't believe how much you've improved, Kotomi-chan." Riko offers, smiling as well.

"At the end of the month, which is why…" Kotomi takes a deep breath, crossing her arms. "I need to hear what you guys think." Kiyoshi and Alex exchange a look, nodding to one another.

"From what we've seen, extraction is not a problem for you. You're strong, careful, and calm." Kiyoshi begins. "Even when you had another pair of eyes, you kept vigilant. In fact, you became even more so after picking them up."

"Your medical response is excellent, as well." Alex adds, smiling proudly. "You assessed initial wounds and made educated guesses making sure not to aggravate anything."

"And I felt very assured when you told me it would be alright. I felt calmer around you…but…" Kotomi huffs in upset, whining as Riko begins what she's been waiting for.

"You can't hesitate." Kiyoshi finishes. He was the one with battlefield experience, after all. A former captain whose knee was severely injured, removing him from the battlefield and putting him in the medical field, where he had access to rehabilitation care and ran extraction simulations with medics-in-training.

"You moved slow on the draw. I could see you noticed my movement, but you ignored it. In cases like this, when you're responsible for other people, you need to follow those hunches. And you _can't_ hesitate on the kill." Kotomi deflates on this, avoiding eye contact.

"It's scary to kill, especially when you're trying to save people, but—"

"I'm not afraid to kill," Kotomi stops Riko, her eyes seeming to sharpen and narrow a little. Her grasp on the prop gun tightens and her finger twitches at the trigger, as if remembering how close she was to firing.

"I know I have to kill to protect those around me, but…" Kotomi bites her lip.

 _What if I'm not sure I want to kill the person on the other side of that gun?_ Kiyoshi watches her a moment, then ruffles her hair again, chuckling.

"Okay, I think she gets it. We have time to work on it, after all. You have a month to get everything together, isn't that right? Go home for today. You have a big night ahead of you." Kotomi's eyes light up at this, and Riko preemptively grabs Alex by the back of her shirt.

"A-are you sure it's okay?" Riko cover her mouth to hide a giggle, also finding Kotomi's behavior cute.

 _Even though she obviously want to go home…_

"Yep! It's not everyday they come back from training, after all. You guys are having a party, right?" Kotomi nods eagerly, running for her stuff and shedding her medic packs, one at her side, her hips, and a large one on her back, and her tactical gear.

"Thank you guys! I'll see you tomorrow!" And with that, Kotomi is out the door, running for home as quickly as she can.

"She's so cute, it hurts. Is that girl really 16 already?" Alex stares her hands in disbelief, as if horrified she didn't to hug the dark-haired teenager. "

"She's a hard worker, I like her, it'll be a little quieter without her around here, too." Riko sighs, holding her cheek. She turns to Kiyoshi, look for him to agree with her, but his solemn expression mutes her own joy.

"Teppei…? What's on your mind?" Kiyoshi blinks and looks down at Riko, smiling fondly, which makes the young girl blush slightly and avert her eyes.

"It's nothing. I'll miss her, too. It's just…I've been in contact with Hyuga and Izuki lately. To check in on Alex's boys for her every once in a while."

"Even though outside contact isn't allowed, I guess you have connections like that, huh?" Kiyoshi nods.

"I actually asked about Kotomi's friends for her, so I could give her some good news." Riko blinks. Why would seem so solemn about something like that? And why hasn't he told her yet? Her questions don't remain unanswered for long as Kiyoshi takes a deep breath.

* * *

Throwing the doors open to the Akashi manor, Kotomi runs past bustling maids and butlers, dodging servants carrying the favorite dishes of her friends. Onion gratin soup, tofu soup, red bean soup – _why did they like soup so much-_ vanilla shakes, a big chocolate cake, and teriyaki burger steak. She runs past Momoi, who is dressed in a pretty cocktail dress, trying to fix her hair. It's been 3 years, after all. She wanted to show Kuroko how much she's grown into a woman.

"Koto-chan! You're not showered yet?"

"I'll be there in a moment!" Kotomi wanted to dress nice for them, too. She wanted to show them how capable she's become.

Once showered and clean, Kotomi slips on a nice sweater and a pretty skirt. She wanted them to feel more at home, again. She figured they didn't want to be overwhelmed with all this pomp and circumstance…well, Kise was a different story. Kotomi giggles and hums to herself, her cheeks alight with glee.

Okay, maybe not so much, anymore. As soon as Kotomi came down, fixing her hair into her usual side pony tail, Momoi suddenly asks her in the foyer:

"How do you think they're going to react to you being a medic in the Warzone they're assigned to?" All of the color drains from Kotomi's face at this.

"They're…in Warzone 13? Since when?"

"I just saw the records today while I was working-ah! Kotomi-chan!" Momoi manages to grab the smaller girl by the waist, keeping her from escaping.

"I didn't know I'd be with them! They're going to see me on the roster!"

"Then you need to tell them before they see it! They're going to be here any minute, where are you trying to go!"  
"Sa-chan, can't you tell them for me?"

" _You're_ the one who signed up behind our back, so you have to tell them." Kotomi whines and shrieks when there's a knock at the door. The maids hurry to stand by, while Momoi struggles to keep Kotomi in place. As the door begins to open, the two of them straighten out, with Kotomi's heart about to leap out of her chest.

Three years end tonight. Right now.

 _Don't cry in front of them, don't…!_ Her eyes light up when she sees their silhouettes, tears already starting to blur her vision. She looks to Momoi, her anxiety over confessing her little deception disappearing. But when she turns her head, the pink-haired girl is already gone, running for the door.

"Tetsu-kuun!" Kotomi giggles, running over to follow her best friend, but she stops dead in her tracks, stomach going cold.

"Momoi-san, we're home."

"Shit, Satsuki move, I can't wait to put all this crap down."

"Take a shower first, fool. You smell like death."

"I wanna eat…Sa-chin, where's the food?"

"Don't sit down in the dining room like that, Murasakibara-kun."

"Never mind that, we're home, guys!"

"We're home."

They all sounded the same, that was for sure. In these last 3 years, Kotomi and Momoi had changed quite a bit. Momoi had gained an incredible figure, her adorable baby cheeks having slimmed somewhat while maintaining a youthful, classically beautiful face. Kotomi notes with incredible irritation from time to time the size of Momoi's chest. It seemed almost criminal to have that much cleavage to oneself. She was best described as an angel, a beauty with no blemishes and knew no time.

Kotomi, on the other hand, had graduated from looking like a doll, having lost some of her baby fat around her cheeks. She sported quite the figure as well, sculpted and firm, but fuller in the lower half than Momoi. She wasn't flat-chested, but it certainly wasn't anything to write home to, either. She wasn't without her blemishes, either, sporting a scar here and there from her many training sessions.. Kotomi had a wildness to her that Momoi lacked, despite both of them still knowing how to behave as wards of the Akashi family.

But the boys…or rather, the _men_ standing before them were on another level. They were all much, much taller. That was the first thing the two girls noticed. Kotomi felt proud of the 4 inches she had grown, but even then Kotomi's favorite purple giant towered over her, even more so than when they were 13. They were bulkier, too. The 3 years of physical training had done wonders for them. Slim, but powerful bodies primed for combat. But Kotomi felt unsettled.

They all seemed the same, but Kotomi felt a little nauseous looking at them. But why?

No.

She was being paranoid. She knew they would be different when they returned, so she was overanalyzing them. She was just misreading them. They were still her boys.

"Kotomi…?" Six pairs of eyes turn to the dark-haired girl, and she jolts, looking them over one more time, cornflower blue irises in full display. The way their eyes seem to brighten lifts Kotomi's dampened spirit. Kise, who had been unnaturally quiet, steps forward. His sunshine had too been diminished, despite his bright smile. He opens his arms for her, beckoning to her as he always does.

"No way…!" He cries. "Is that really Kotomicchi? Look at you!" Looks her up and down, seeming awed.

"You're all grown up…!"

 _See? You're imagining it._

"I'll say…" Aomine looks her up and down, quite obviously pleased.

 _You've just forgotten. It's been so long, after all._

"Aomine, you're absolutely vile." Midorima's voice is cutting and contains more hostility than before, as if the green-haired teen was fighting back much worse.

"What? There's nothing wrong with admiring her hard work, right, Kotomi?" Aomine's grin is less like a ray of sunshine and more like a maelstrom.

 _They're still the people you've always known._

"He's right though, Koto-chin got sexy." Murasakibara states matter of factly, earning a choked sound of indignation to bubble up in Midorima's throat.

 _Just be happy they're here again._ Kotomi's face heats up and she looks down at their comments. She suddenly feels a pair of strong, warm hands envelope her in a hug.

"Kotomicchi, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this moment…you're so warm, and soft, you smell the same as you did before we left." One of Kise's hands comes up to caress a lock of her hair. It was the same as always.

"Kise-kun, you're bothering Kotomi-chan." Kuroko has yet to push Momoi away, but his eyes are trained intensely on Kise and Kotomi, and more specifically on where Kise's hands were.

"Please let her go."

"Eh? But…" His arms tighten around her slightly, and there's a strain in his voice that Kotomi is not accustomed to.

"Ryota." Kise tenses and immediately removes his hands, to both Kotomi and Momoi's astonishment, though he keeps one hand around her shoulder to keep here where she was. The previously silent Akashi Seijurou moves from his spot, approaching Kotomi with a smile. If it weren't for Kise there, she would have taken a step back.

The red-head looks down at her with a fond smile, replacing Kise's hand with his own as he takes a lock of her hair and brings it to his lips. Kotomi could see her bewildered expression reflected in his one golden eye.

"It is true, you've grown to be so lovely, Kotomi. We've missed you both. I'm so moved to return home. We kept our promise." Kotomi swallows something bitter.

 _I didn't make that promise with you._ She swallows her pervasive thoughts and looks at the floors, releasing a shaky exhale. Midorima raises a brow, seeming concerned.

"Are you alright?"

"Kotomicchi, you look pale all of a sudden." Momoi looks worried, too, but not for the reason the others would be. Kise pushes back her bangs to feel her forehead, pursing his lips. She glances up and she can see the acknowledgement in Akashi's eyes.

"You don't have a fever…"

"I understand if you're overwhelmed." Akashi practically croons to her, taking her hand in his and stroking the back of it with his thumb, smiling serenely. He was aware she could sense something was different.

 _So perceptive…_ His imagined purr causes a ripple in her spine.

Kotomi closes her eyes. This is what she's wanted. This is all she's wanted for the last three years. Don't ruin it for yourself. Slowly, she lifts her head, smiling brightly for them.

"I'm sorry, I just…I can't believe you're here. It feels like a dream…" Kise looks like he wants to jump her again, but Akashi's presence at her side prevents it.

"Are you sure? You can rest if you need to," Kuroko still sounds worried when he speaks. Kotomi shakes her head frantically.

 _You're being so selfish,_ she chides herself. _They're returned from war and you're not happy to see them?_ She looks for something to excuse her behavior.

"I actually…I've been so excited I haven't eaten since last night."

"…"

" _WHAT!?"_ Even Momoi shouts this.

"Koto-chan, it's almost been 24 hours! And you were out all day! You didn't eat anything?"

"Kotomi-cchi, you're shaking!" Kise holds her hands in his, and Kotomi looks down at how he's holding her hands, smaller and daintier than his, and how the slender digits of her fingers trembled in his.

"Idiot, how do you forget to eat?"

"It's good to be hard working, but this is just careless. What are you even doing that makes you forget about eating?" Midorima sounds like he's asking a question more than he is nagging, though the latter is still present.

"Koto-chin, I'll feed you, okay?"

"She can eat by herself, Murasakibara-kun…" Kotomi visibly relaxes as Kise leads her to the dining room, the others close behind. Her lips turn up in a smile as she realizes that while much has changed about them, they were still her friends. Change was hard, but it was doable, right? So she shakes off the fear and anxiety, shakes off the anxious expression Momoi shoots her, and she shakes off the uneasy feeling Akashi and his golden eye gave her.

Everything is fine.

* * *

 **Next time:**

"Come with us. I'd never cage you like this."

"I know we've spent all this time training you for this day, but…I almost want you to stay here with us. With me."

"So this is what you've been up to…"

"Oikawa-san, _**run.**_ "

1 Kotori AKA 小鳥 ことり- "little bird"

2 This could denote an extreme sense of closeness or disrespect in Japanese culture, depending on the context. In this context, obviously, it's positive. It's on the level of family, close friends, and even lovers. Not to mention, Oikawa didn't call her by his nickname for her.


	5. Changing With the Times

**Author's Note: Oh god, longest chapter. I had so much fun with this one I got carried away. Please leave reviews, guys? I don't know if this is being received well. I'm not going to stop if people don't like it, but I would like to know what you guys are confused about, as well as what you guys like. Who do you like with Kotomi, so far, for example?**

 **Also, fun fact: Kotomi has British accent. She's actually only half Japanese!**

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Changing With the Times**

"Everything was _not_ fine." Kotomi groans, hiding her face in her hands as she sits under the tree. Oikawa and Iwaizumi sitting on either side of her, while Kuroo and Bokuto sit across from her.

"I'm sure it wasn't nearly as bad as you think it was," Iwaizumi offers, letting Kotomi tip over sideways and lean on him.

"It was _awful._ " Oikawa chews thoughtfully and silently on a cookie, leftovers from the party two nights ago. He leans up against her, offering silent comfort. She had gotten through to him on that day, two years ago. It was as if the ice separating them had melted, and suddenly Oikawa wanted to see her every day. He was clingy and whiny and fussy if she couldn't come by for any reason. He was also so talkative, so today, his silence was strange. But Kotomi didn't think about it too much.

"What even happened, I don't get it? " Bokuto wonders, rocking back and forth on his rear, owlish gold eyes blinking in inquisition.

"You wouldn't stop talking about how excited you were to see them again." Kotomi sighs heavily, staring at the ground in half-lidded sadness. nudges his best friend with a raised brow, gesturing to a downtrodden Kotomi as if to say: 'Well? Do something!' Bokuto makes a strangled hooting sound before he looks to Kotomi, hands outstretched.

"But, you know! Maybe it's their fault! They've probably changed a lot, huh?"

"Dude, you're not helping." Iwaizumi grunts as he pushes Kotomi's hair behind her ear, neatly tucking it away. While Oikawa's obsession with Kotomi was more embarrassing and apparent, and Bokuto and Kuroo's taking the form of bodyguards from anyone wishing malintent (mainly Oikawa), Iwaizumi had become something of an elder brother. Kotomi felt safe around all of them, but especially him. And she couldn't say that about a lot of people.

"S-Sorry! I just—"

"No, you're right…" Kotomi admits. "I was naïve. I thought things would be able to go back to normal once they came back, but I was just being hopeful."

"There's nothing wrong with a little hope here and there, " Kuroo offers this time, earning him an upward turn of Kotomi's lips. "That's what I like most about you, little bird~" While he helps pick up her spirits, it doesn't last long, and her smile disappears again.

"I just…something doesn't feel…right." This causes the three of them – excluding Oikawa—to look at her with some confusion. Kotomi glances at each of them, apprehension registering in the girl's eyes before she takes a deep breath and retells the events of her friends' return that night, and the entirety of the next:

* * *

 **2 Nights Earlier…**

"Are you still shaking, Kotomi-chan?" Kotomi shook her head and smiled politely at the bluenette, whose expression remained mainly impassive. Ironically, he was the easiest to read among the lot of them.

"I guess I really did overdo it, today. All I could think about was tonight."

"That's not enough, Koto-chin," Murasakibara says while he leaned over across the table toward her. He held out his chopsticks which had a piece of meat wedged in between them. He smiled childishly, in that adorable way she knew so well.

"You should eat more. I'll be really angry if you starve yourself~" Kotomi giggled and nodded, opening her mouth and leaning forward as well. Kuroko tensed, and Kise stopped bickering with Aomine over the last bit of potato in his soup to gape. Momoi, who was sitting beside Kuroko, turned pink and covered her mouth.

 _Wait, isn't that an indirect kiss! Mukkun, what are you-!_

"Wait." Kotomi turned her head to the bespectacled young man, who glared at Murasakibara from across the table. Murasakibara didn't move his chopsticks his, brow furrowing and grip tightening on the wooden sticks, which looked closer to popsicle sticks in massive hands.

"What?"

"Fujisaki has not left the city since she came here as a child. You've been outside exposed to who knows how many diseases and bacteria out there. You can't casually share food with her like that."

"But I take medicine and I'm not sick. She won't get sick, either."

"That's not how the immune system works. Put it down." Murasakibara quite literally growled, and Midorima's eyes narrowed, and Kotomi returned Momoi's alarmed expression They both thought the same thing.

 _Did they always get along this poorly?_ Murasakibara was indisputably childish, but he was sweet and listened well. Midorima was strict but respectful, only looking out for the best interests of his friends around him. At least, they _had_ been at one point. But this tension in the air, and the looks the two gave each other. There was so much hostility. Kotomi looks to her other friends. Kise looked concerned, but Aomine was scratching his ear and yawning while Kuroko stared emptily at his food. Were they used to this?

"We checked out, don't worry, Kotomi-san…" Kuroko responded to her concern.

"I…no, that's not…"

"Mido-chin, you're just pissed because you're too scared of being nice to Koto-chin. It's no wonder she hates you."

"Mukkun!" Midorima looked infuriated, turning red in both embarrassment and anger. Momoi left Kuroko's side to stop Midorima from standing up.

Kotomi's eyes immediately searched for the red-headed heir, only to find his usual seat at the head of the table empty. Akashi had greeted them and immediately headed for his father's office. Akashi's father had always been distant with them, even with his own son, especially after his wifes' death. But she hadn't expected him to call Akashi to his office when he should be reuniting with his friends.

"H-Hey, Kotomicchi! Tell us, how is your training as a medic going?" Cornflower blue shoot up to meet golden honey, shock and horror reaching desperation and feigned cheer. It was an attempt to change the subject, but she wished so deeply that the blonde had chosen something else. She scanned the room to find that all eyes were on her, again. She tried in vain to silently plead with Momoi, but the young woman merely glanced away, giving her a pointed look.

 _Now's a good time to bring it up, isn't it? Do your best!_ Kotomi wanted to slam her head into the dining table and knock her self out.

"It's…good. Really good." Kotomi admitted, her smile grew more genuine and less forced, as it always did when she talked about work. She was able to help the people she cared about, even if it wasn't Kuroko and the others right away, like she had expected. It was those skills that made her useful to Oikawa and the others, and what brought them together as friends.

"I think I'm really good at it." _At everything about it._ "And I want to keep doing my best and keep aiming to make a difference." _And I don't want to stop here._ "Lots of people have helped me so I can make an effort as well." _I can fight beside you guys, in my own way._

"I'm really glad to hear that, Kotomi-chan." Kuroko smiled softly, a rare occurrence. They all looked pleased to hear this.

"What medical sector will you work in?" Midorima asked, and Kotomi tries not to make a face at the dreaded question. She was hoping in vain they would leave it at that, but she supposed she should have known better.

"I bet pediatrics, right? Kotomicchi is good with kids! Or maybe she'll work at the nursing home?"

"That's a nurse, Kise-kun. Maybe Kotomi would work in the trauma sector." No time like the present. So she took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders and puffed out her chest as she spoke loudly and clearly, relieved that her voice doesn't waver.

"I'm not assigned to a medical sector. I'm going to be an on-field medic for Warzone 13." Almost immediately, the harsh scraping of several chairs echoed through the dining hall. Midorima, Aomine, and Kuroko had all stood up at the same time. Food fell from Murasakibara's chopsticks, uneaten. Kise was sitting in shock, eyes widened.

"No." Kuroko's voice was firm and final, so unlike him.

"That will not be happening." Midorima agreed, fixing his glasses. They had almost fallen off in his haste to physically object.

"Uwah, Koto-chin, when did you become stupid?" Murasakibara asked gruffly, stabbing a piece of _karaage_ with his chopsticks.

"I'm not stupid. I've worked really hard and they offered me the position."

"Koto-chan has been working really hard while you guys were away. You can ask Aida-san and Garcia-san at the facility, she's better than anyone! She even ran into a-" Kotomi shot Momoi a look. Now was not a good time to bring up what she did about the bomb incident.

"Kotomicchi, you don't know what you're agreeing to." Kise's voice is strained again, as if he were holding back more. Luckily, Aomine was there to explode on her behalf.

"You must have fucking lost your mind while we were gone. We don't need you out there, so don't bother!" Kotomi shook her head.

"It's already final. I'm going."

"Kotomi-chan, we've been to Warzone 13, we're the ones that cleared it. It's not safe for you there." Kuroko pleaded to her, the least angry of them.

"If you cleared it then I have faith I'll be fine."

" _Faith_ won't get you anywhere." Kise insisted. "Nothing is guaranteed out there. You don't need to worry about a thing, you can still help here!"

"That's not good enough, I want to…no, I _need_ to do more." Kotomi said this with certainty, but she still refused to look at any of them. "I've worked with injuries from all kinds of situations, under different circumstances." Granted, the two conditions were isolated from one another, as patch-up sessions for Oikawa and the guys and simulations with the people at in the medical sector, respectively.

"I can help. And I will."

"We're strong enough that we don't need a medic. You'll just be a nuisance." Aomine pressed, which annoyed Kotomi, but she didn't let it show on her face. She turned to Aomine, expression calm. So calm, in fact, that he looked rather surprised. Even Momoi was caught off guard. It amazed her how quickly Kotomi could calm herself under pressure. It was definitely something she picked up in these last 2 years.

"Then I definitely won't have to worry about a thing, won't I?"

"You're underestimating this, Kotomicchi. Since when have you talked like this? Don't you trust us?" Kotomi clenched her fists a little, wondering why their words were irritating her like this. Momoi took the pregnant pause as a chance to stand up, hands raised for peacemaking.

"Okay, guys! Let's talk about this another time."

"You're not going."

"It's not up to you." Aomine was around the other side of the table in the blink of an eye, having jumped over it as he glowered down at Kotomi, royal blue sparking against its lighter opponent.

"Huh. There's that rebellious streak again. You think anyone is going to stop fighting and get along with you just because you're pretty and tiny? Just looking at you like this, " He gripped the collar of her sweater, tugging her upwards, the heels of her feet just lifted off the ground as he pulls her closer, a chilling smirk spread across his lips.

"It makes me want to have my way with you right now."

"Aomine!" Kotomi only faintly heard Midorima's outrage, and she felt Momoi and Kuroko pry the two apart. Kuroko said something sharply to Aomine, who merely shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged innocently.

"I was being honest." He watched Kotomi for her response, eyes unapologetic.

 _It's like what Oikawa-san did to me. He's trying to intimidate me._ She concluded, not letting her show any sign of being perturbed by his actions and words. She merely narrowed her gaze.

"You wouldn't. You're not like that." Aomine stared at her a moment with slight disbelief, and then let out a wry laugh, throwing himself down onto one of the vacant chairs, arms crossed.

"Fine. Have it your way." Kotomi calmly pushed her hair behind her ear, making her way toward the door.

"Koto-chan?"

"I'm tired, after all, I think I need to go to bed."

"Fujisaki! We're not done talking about this."

"No, Shintaro, we're not." Kotomi's stomach felt icy again as all eyes in the room turned toward the origins of the smooth, silky voice. Akashi was standing in the way of Kotomi's exit, looking down at her with a serene, unreadable expression.

"Akashicchi!"

"How much did you hear?" Midorima had calmed down quite a bit, knowing full well that Akashi could resolve this conflict.

"Enough."

"Akashi-kun, please speak to Kotomi-chan." Kotomi found herself unable to look Akashi in the eye. That gold amongst all his crimson made her stomach ache, but she felt a gentle pressure underneath her chin that coaxed her to look up.

"Kotomi…"

"Did your father tell you?" Kotomi felt ridiculous even asking. Of course he did. He's probably always known about Kotomi being a medic, he's the most powerful man in the city.

"He felt that allowing you to make your own decisions would foster your growth, and he encouraged your career as a medic. And I agree. I can see that you've made so much growth. I'm very impressed." He smiled at her, but she felt no comfort or pride.

"But what I can't agree with is you coming with us. The others are correct. That world is not a place for someone like you. And unlike Daiki, I _can_ ensure that you will stay here." Kotomi opened her mouth to protest, but what he said next had her question dying in her throat and birthing a new one.

"Besides, your future has already been decided." Akashi smiled at this, almost excitedly, gleefully, as if he was expecting her to rejoice at the news. "Father has decided that you'll become my fiancé. An Akashi."

" _ **FIANCE!?"**_ Iwaizumi covers his ears as Bokuto suddenly shouts. Kuroo merely sits there with a dumbfounded expression. Oikawa's expression had darkened considerably. Bokuto stands up, throwing his fists in the air as if he wished to fight the sun.

"That Aomine guy is no good! And who the hell does this Akashi guy think he is!? He can't just decide shit like that!"

"He can," Iwaizumi says, though his expression is almost as dark as Oikawa's.

"I'm basically owned by the Akashi family, since I was taken in by them." Kotomi explains, pulling her knees closer to her chest as she sighs. "It's never felt that way until now, though."

"You can't marry him!" Bokuto roars.

"It doesn't sound like you to be a trophy wife, little bird." Kuroo says lightheartedly, but Kotomi would see by the flexing of his forearm that he was angry. Kotomi laughs without humor, nodding.

"Right? But…I don't think I really have a choice. They're all different, now, which I expected. But…Akashi is…he's too different. I used to be able to tell him anything, but just looking at him now feels…I'm scared of him. And he seemed to know that he scared me. In fact, he seemed like he enjoyed it."

"Komi-chan," Bokuto calls her by his newfound nickname, having insisted upon it upon learning that Momoi also called her Koto-chan, "What's with these friends? I thought you said they were good people! What kind of good guy forces a girl to marry him!"

"I don't know…I don't know who these people are. Not completely, at least."

"Then come with us." Kotomi's eyes find a previously silent Oikawa, who glances at her from the side before he stands up, stepping out of the shade of the tree to look up into the sky."

"What…?"

"Come to where we are. Run away from them and come with us, live with us." Oikawa and the others didn't speak much about where they lived, and Kotomi respected their privacy and trusted their reasons. It had always seemed they lived in a precarious situation, so Kotomi would ask about their friends, instead. Some of their stories often had her rolling on the ground with laughter, and she got to learn about them without asking about the hard things.

"Hey, hey, hey! That sounds like a good idea! The best idea!"

"Oya, to have little bird beside us all the time, don't wake me from this dream~" Kotomi looks to Iwaizumi, who merely nods and offers a rare smile, and then back at Oikawa. He's now facing her head on, chocolate brown eyes intense, the light from the sun illuminating his silhouette, and for a moment Kotomi finds herself considering it.

"I'd never tie you down like that." Oikawa insists. "We know better than anyone that you're meant to be free. So fly with us, Kotori-chan." He offers her a hand. Kotomi bites her lip.

"I can't."

"Marry you?" Kotomi repeated faintly, having to sit back down. Kise talked about it all the time, of course, but she never took him too seriously. But Akashi was dead serious. He doesn't seem at all surprised by her lack of jubilation. In fact, it seems like he expected it. It took all about 5 seconds for everyone else to react as well.

"Oi! Akashi, I didn't hear about this!" Aomine growled, standing up from his seat. Murasakibara kicked a chair into the wall, breaking off one of its legs. Kuroko looked paler than normal, his eyes blazing with shock and anger as he pursed lips tightly.

"Akashi, when were you planning to tell us?" Midorima was the calmest, but he gripped the foldable fan, his Lucky Item, so tightly it looked painful.

"You're all my precious family, I thought we could all gather and celebrate this occasion together."

"You can't just decide my future like this." Kotomi ground out, trying to remain calm. She always felt more exposed when she was with Akashi, so her emotions tended to slip out whether she wanted them to or not.

"I can, but I am also considering you as well, of course. You were raised by my family, so you have the proper etiquette, your scores have always been at least top in our class, and you inherently possess all the proper skills of a fine medic, which mean you have the makings of an excellent career path. You don't belong anywhere except the side of those who win. And no one wins more than I do." He said this as if discussing the weather, and Kotomi felt like throwing up.

"Just who _are_ you, anyway…?" She stood up again and looked to every face in the room. She realized with a chill down her spine that she almost didn't recognize any of them.

"What a silly question to ask, my dear fiancé." Akashi brought a hand to his chest and smiled eerily, his heterochromatic gaze of crimson and gold sucking the breath from Kotomi's lungs.

"I am Akashi Seijurou." Kotomi wanted to vehemently deny this claim. There's no way he was the Akashi she knew growing up. After a moment, Kotomi suddenly bolted from the room, so fast she almost stumbled on a raised part of the carpet before disappearing down the hallways.

"Koto-chan!" She could hear Momoi call after her, as well as Kise, and potentially Kuroko, but she didn't stop, running straight for her room and slamming the door behind her, where she childishly kicked and stomped once she was in private before sitting in front of the door and bringing her knees to her chest.

It wasn't as if the idea of marriage disgusted her, but to have her freedom stripped so suddenly, and without regard for her plans for her own future, would her friend really do such a thing? Who were these strangers, who bore the faces of friends? Kotomi eventually fell asleep like that, a single tear slipping from her eye and onto her lap.

* * *

Kotomi woke a few hours later to the sound of knocking. It took her a few minutes to acclimate herself to reality as she slowly stood up, turning to the door, where the sound that woke her originated. She almost hesitated in answering, but she did so anyway, suspecting it to be Momoi checking in on her after she stormed out. Her apology was already on her lips, but it was quick to die.

"Tetsuya…Ryota…" The bluenette and blonde stood there quite sheepishly, both dressed in their pajamas. Kuroko was in his t-shirt and blue gym shorts, while Kise wore a green and white striped sweater with gray sweatpants.

"Kotomicchi…sorry to bother you." He sounded less energetic than usual, scratching the back of his head.

"I actually just woke up…I'm sorry." They both jumped when Kotomi bowed her head to them. "It was supposed to be a welcome back party for you, but I went ahead and made it all about myself."

"No, Kotomicchi! We-"

"It was troublesome to have brought that all up."

"Kurokocchi!" Kotomi didn't flinch, nodding in agreement as she kept her head lowered.

"But after 3 years of missing you, I was really happy to see how much you've grown. You got stronger, standing up to Aomine-kun and Akashi-kun like that." Kotomi popped up, eyes slightly widened. She didn't get a chance to notice earlier with all the commotion, but Kuroko now stood a few inches taller than her. He smiled and reached up to pet her head, and Kotomi felt her heart lurch.

"That's right!" Kise reassured her. "Don't worry about that stuff right now. What's important is that we're all together again, right? It was really tough without you, Kotomicchi." He reached into his pocket and showed her a worn but familiar makeshift charm, the golden color faded slightly from having it rubbed so often. Kotomi covered her mouth.

"You kept it…?" She looked to Kuroko as she produced his as well, equally as worn. Both of them smiled at her, Kuroko's soft turn of his lips and Kise's bright grin made her realize that she had been the one who was being unfair. Of course things would be different, they were all different people, now. Three years they spent apart. It would be strange if they hadn't changed at all. She expected them to accept the things that changed about her without considering their changes as well.

"Just like you said, we thought of you anytime we saw these, and it felt like you were there encouraging us."

"Eh? Kotomicchi? Why are you crying!?" Kotomi touched her cheeks, realizing they were wet. She sniffled and wiped them away, giggling at her own foolishness.

"Kise-kun, what did you do?"

"What!? Me?" Kotomi laughed again, not noticing how their cheeks darkened slightly in color. She threw herself into their arms, feeling them both place a hand on her to catch her. Kuroko's at the back of her head, and Kise's between her shoulder blades. She nuzzled Kise's chest affectionately, sighing softly.

"Ah, I missed that sound…so noisy, even though it's so late at night." She seemed quite content, which pleased both teens as they returned her hug, enveloping her in warmth and security. Someone ran their fingers through her hair.

"We should probably head to bed, now…" Kuroko didn't sound too pleased about it, even if he was the one who suggested it. Kotomi opened her eyes, pursing her lips slightly as she looked up at both of them.

"Ah, but I could stay here forever like this…"

"Can we…all sleep together?"

"Hah…?" They both voiced their confusion in unison, Kise being the first to turn bright red. He waved his hand frantically, eyes darting everywhere but Kotomi's direction, shouting incoherently.

"K-K-Kotomicchi…! We, uh..haha…er…I-I mean, if you- I want to, that is to say-!" Kotomi tilted her head at him, brow furrowing as she tried to decipher his gibberish. Her face became crestfallen, brow relaxing and eyes finding the floor.

"Oh, I guess you guys are too old for that, huh…?" Kise sputtered as she played with a lock of her hair, twirling it and tugging lightly.

"Kotomi-chan…" Kuroko looked slightly uncomfortable, but there was something else lurking in the depths of powder blue irises. Kotomi couldn't quite place it.

"Please be more careful how you phrase your questions." After a moment, Kotomi's face turned bright red as she gasped, shaking her head.

"N-No! I…I didn't mean it like that! I just meant-! Like when we were kids! Mou, forget it!" Kotomi turned away, holding her cheeks. There's was soft, sharp exhale, like a laugh.

"It's okay. Let's go to sleep." Kotomi turned back to them and brightened at this, nodding. Kise took her by the shoulders, leading her into the room.

"But you should put on pajamas, Kotomicchi! Be comfortable!"

"Oh! Okay…"

"Kise-kun…please don't be indecent…"

"Eh!? Kurokocchi, don't look at me like I'm trash, I was going to wait outside!"

"Are you comfortable, Kotomicchi?" Once she was in her pajamas, they settled into Kotomi's bed. She faced Kuroko, one arm tucked under Kotomi's body while the other rested on his chest. Kise was on her other side, his body spooning her. He was much bigger than her, so she could feel the warmth of his body from the top her head down to her toes.

"Very…" Kotomi murmured this. She felt Kuroko shift to face her as well, a hand reaching up to push her hair behind her ear, cupping her cheek affectionately. Though her vision was blurry, she could see the outline of his silhouette, a sleepy smile spreading across her lips.

"It's okay to sleep, Kotomi-chan…we'll be here in the morning."

"Mm…" Kise nuzzled the back of her neck, sighing himself. He felt the bed shake as she suspected Kuroko kicked Kise.

"Ow! Kurokocchi!"

"Keep your hands and face in respectable places, Kise-kun."

"I am!"

"You are not."

"I missed this so much," Kotomi breathed. "Every day, I woke up and worked so hard so that I could fall asleep without realizing that you weren't here…and now you're back…" She nuzzled Kuroko happily, missing the way he stiffened slightly.

"When you're okay to talk about it…tell me about what happened…when you went to war…" They must have thought she had fallen asleep, because she feels a pair of lips on her temple, and then another on her fingers, before she faintly heard their reply.

"We did what we had to do, and that's all you need to know…"

"We'd do anything for you, Kotomi-chan." Kotomi wished she could have woken up right then to ask them what they meant.

* * *

"Kotomicchi, where are you going...?" Kotomi jumped a little, hand still on the doorknob as she turned to face a slowly waking Kise.

"I was going to go study under the tree…" Actually, she was planning to give the leftovers from the party to Oikawa and the others to have and take home, but she wasn't sure if they were ready to meet each other, especially after last night. The bliss lasted up until she woke up, and reality came crashing down on her that she was going to find some way out of the marriage and some way into Warzone 13.

"Eh…? It's so early in the morning…" Kise whined, Kuroko just starting to stir. "Plus, you shouldn't go out, we just came back after all."

"I'll be back soon, I just have to look over some notes."

"But you're not going to need them." There was a pregnant pause as Kotomi realized what he meant by that.

"So you agree with everyone else?" Kise nodded, sighing dramatically.

"But that was too much drama for the night, seriously…right, Kurokocchi?"

"Mm…Kise-kun, shut up a little please. It's very early…" Kise puffed his cheeks out indignantly before he looked at Kotomi again, opening his arms. He smiled radiantly.

"Just come back and let's sleep some more, okay?" Kotomi sighed, pushing some hair behind her ear…before throwing the door open and dashing down the hallway, ignoring Kise's shocked cry of betrayal in response to her deception.

"Kotomicchi!"

 _Sorry! But I also need to talk to them. I won't stand by and become useless like you want me to._ Kotomi thought, rounding the corner and slamming right into a hard mass. She fell back with a gasp, but a pair of arms caught her by the waist and forearm.

"Fujisaki!" Midorima was looking down at her, stunned. Kotomi blinked a few times, glancing down at their positioning. He grunted and pulled her upright before he sighed, holding up a book of poems.

"Don't run in the hallways so carelessly, you could have gotten hurt."

 _As if a little bump like this could compare what Iwaizumi and Oikawa did to me._ Kotomi thought with a shiver before she shook her head. She maneuvered around him, planning to continue her fast walk to the kitchen to retrieve the leftovers she instructed the maids to leave in the storage room.

"Wait." Kotomi stopped to turn to the bespectacled boy, who pushes his glasses up his nose. He held up the poem book, refusing to make eye contact with her.

"Libras have the worst luck today. You should carry your Lucky Item around. It's an orange lily. I can help you find one."

"Oh, um, that's alright. I'm in a bit of a hurry—"

"Your health and well-being is not a hurry." He marched over and took her hand. He pulled gently, as if she were glass, taped fingers clamped around her smaller fingers.

"Wait, Shintaro!" He led her out to the garden behind the property, releasing her only then. She glanced at the tea set and the varying kinds of breads and toasts as well as fruit waiting. It was only then that she realized what he had been getting at. When Kotomi glanced up at him, the tips of his ears were bright red. Kotomi covered her mouth to hide her smile and tilted her head inquisitively.

"You're so cute…" A choked splutter ripped from his throat as he shook his head frantically.

"L-Last night's events occurred because you didn't have your Item for the day, which was a pair of pink spotted socks. You seemed quite upset and didn't eat much…"He tried to sound as if he was nagging her.

"It wasn't because of that." Kotomi sighed. "You guys aren't being reasonable." Midorima tensed, seeming adamant about the issue as he scanned the flowerbeds for the perfect lily.

"You're the one being unreasonable. You should trust the experiences of people who went through what you want so badly, like a fool." Kotomi deflated a little, unable to argue with that. She couldn't possibly understand what they went through. She glanced at the breakfast. She wasn't the only one who wanted to feel normal again. Oikawa didn't usually come around until later in the day, she could spend a few hours with Midorima.

"Well, I can't eat all this by myself, so why don't we find a proper lily and then treat ourselves to some breakfast?" Midorima seemed to relax once she got the gist. There was time to argue about this later, even if the both of them seemed certain in their positions.

He didn't smile, but he walked beside her to the flower beds, surveying the array of lovely and exotic blossoms. It had been Akashi Shiori's most prized possession after her son and husband, and she often expressed that she wanted to plant cornflowers here. She complimented Kotomi's eyes all the time, saying they were a soothing color and that seeing the color in her gardens would calm her down at the worst of times.. Staring at it made Kotomi's expression soften as she remembered the closest thing she could recall as a mother figure in her life.

"Here." She turned her head, allowing Midorima to slip the brightest of the blossoms behind her ear, the pop of orange contrasting her dark hair. He stared at her for a long moment, running taped fingers through the stray locks that clung to his fingers. Kotomi looked up at him, curious as to what had him so emotional.

"Shintaro…?"

"Let's have breakfast." He retreated back to the table, sitting down. She followed him and sat. It was a lovely day, and it was quiet…she sipped at her tea in silence. At least this was familiar. He wasn't much of a talker, Midorima Shintaro. Kotomi closed her eyes and listened to the birds, the breeze, and the sounds of the manor slowly stirring to life.

Time with Midorima was always so serene. Kotomi glanced down at his poetry book before she looked up at realized Midorima was watching her, even though he tried to hide it by glancing back down at his cup. Kotomi giggled softly and picked up the book, flipping through it curiously. When she found a good one, she takes a deep breath and fills the quiet summer air with her voice:

 _Will I forget, I wonder,_ _  
_ _Hollyhocks for my pillow_ _  
_ _Plucked and twined,_ _  
_ _Sleeping briefly in the fields_ _  
_ _On this dew-drenched dawning._

 _skks-iii-182/_

* * *

"And after that, Tetsuya and Ryota found me. We all sat in the garden all day, and by the time I realized, the day was almost over again." She sighs, crossing her arms.

Oikawa looks down at the ground, seeming disappointed in Kotomi's response, but unable to reason why what she just relayed to them wasn't invalid. He would probably do the same thing for his friends.

"They're still in there, my old friends. Yesterday proved it. They just need time. I'm sure they're worrying about things they don't want to tell me about yet. I just have to be patient and wait for them."

"But what about marrying that guy? Or the other two guys?" Oikawa asks urgently, his shoulders tensed with a note of desperation. Was he really that worried?

"Like I said, they need time. I'll talk to them about everything else, but for now, I want to make them comfortable."

"We get it." Iwaizumi speaks for them, ruffling her hair fondly. "Just don't let them order you around, okay?" Kotomi giggles, which causes Oikawa to relax a little, pursing his lips.

"The minute something seems wrong and you're not okay, let us know, okay? We'll come and help you." Kotomi smiles warmly at this, a smile she typically saved for Kuroko and the others. Bokuto and Kuroo nod in unison, offering her a thumbs up as support.

"We've taught you well, little bird. If those friends of yours give you trouble,"

"You kick their asses!" Bokuto and Kuroo finish in unison again and Kotomi laughs, her nose crinkling at the bridge.

"Mou, you guys!" She throws her arm around the both of them. Bokuto turns red and practically melts in her arms, while Kuroo returns the hug with a shit-eating smirk.

 _SNAP._ Iwaizumi gives a seething Oikawa a bland look, his eyes traveling down to the stick he had been holding, now snapped in half.

"Calm down, just ask her for one, Shittykawa." Kotomi looks back at them, blinking a few times, before giggling and hugging the both of them as well.

"You happy now, you damn gorilla?" Oikawa says nothing, pressing his face into Kotomi's shoulder and glancing away childishly.

"Shut up, Iwa-chan."

 _WHACK._

"Owch!"

"Little bird!"

"Shit! I'm sorry!"

"Iwa-chan, you monster-! Don't try to hit me again!"

* * *

Kotomi rubs the side of her head, wincing at the soreness of the spot. She thought she would be used to Iwaizumi's punches by now, but a right hook to the temple would leave a mark on anyone, right? It was most certainly going to bruise. So once she finished assuring everyone she's okay, and convinced Iwaizumi to stop glaring at his fist like he was going to chop it off, they parted ways for the day.

"You could have killed her!" Oikawa screeched while dodging Iwaizumi's punches, and Kotomi laughs at the memory. He sounded more like a monkey than a gorilla at that moment...

"Even though he was trying to act so cool, earlier…" Her cheeks warm at his offer. It didn't seem like long ago that he wanted nothing to do with her. And yet here he was, offering her a place amongst them. She was touched. If it weren't for her place here…would she fit in with people like that?

"Kotomi." Kotomi stops and turns her head slowly, looking to Aomine. He was in a tank top and shorts, drenched in sweat. She nods politely, still incensed by the way he spoke to her two nights ago. She didn't see him, Murasakibara, or Akashi at all yesterday, and she was glad.

"Daiki…" He seems just as tense as she is, rubbing the back of his head and glancing away as he shuffles in place.

"You…what have you been up to? What were you laughing at?"

"I've been out." Kotomi moves to walk past him, wanting to escape this tense atmosphere as soon as possible.

"I'm sorry." She pauses and looks back to Aomine, slightly surprised by his sudden apology. He won't look at her, but his cheeks are dark with embarrassment.

"I still don't want you out on the field, but I hate having you be mad at me, too. Satsuki won't shut up about apologizing to you, either."

"Sounds like her. I suppose I should apologize, too. I made last night all about me, even though we were celebrating your return. I still want to talk more about this, but not now. I just want to enjoy that fact that you're home now." Kotomi grins a little. It was time to change the mood. Aomine raises a brow.

"Now what are you grinning about?"

"I was just thinking you came to me as you left: sweaty and gross."

"Hey!" He can't help a grin of his own, and the two share a small laugh. Aomine 's face softens as Kotomi giggles, covering her mouth, though her smile was still visible through the gaps in her fingers.

"You still laugh the same way."

"Really? I used to put it up because that's what Shiori-san used to tell me that ladies do, but now I just do it unconsciously."

"Don't become all prim and proper with a stick up your ass, Kotomi." He nudges her lightly and wraps an arm around her shoulders. Kotomi holds her fingers over her eyes in the shape of circles, huffing and deepening her voice and trying to emulate their bespectacled friend as much as she could.

"Aomine! Don't use that kind of language, it's indecent." Aomine gapes, incredibly impressed.

"Whoah! That was good!" He laughs boisterously at this, grinning wide. Kotomi smiles right back, her heart warming.

"Eh…is something interesting happening?" Kotomi turns to face Murasakibara, who is chewing away on snacks already, staring down at Kotomi. She rubs her arm and looks away, but she feels a massive hand ruffle her hair and offer her a cookie.

"Just joking around."Murasakibara seems pleased, and he nods to show his approval, a massive hand reaching out to ruffle her hair.

"Atsushi!"

"Koto-chin is the best when she's smiling and laughing…" She flinches when Murasakibara's finger brushes against her new bruise. She unconsciously turns her head, revealing the red mark, to Aomine, whose eyes widen and then narrow. He grits his teeth and bares them, fists clenching his towel quite tightly.

"Oi…Kotomi, where the hell did you get that?"

"Huh?" Kotomi's follows his gaze before her hand flies up to the side of her head, entire body stiffening when she sees Aomine's expression. He grabs her by the upper arm to hold her in place as he pushes her hair out of the way to look at It with his other hand.

"Ow!"

"You were punched?"

"I-I fell, I'm fine!" His eyes narrow slightly, and his grip tights, making her wince.

"If someone hurt you—"

"The only person hurting me right now is you!" His grip loosens but stays secure as he holds her, looking down at her with narrowed eyes. She looks to Murasakibara, whose eyes are trained on the side of her head.

"Guys, I'm fine, really. I'm not some kind of glass princess who can't take a fall or two. What's gotten into you guys?"

"Koto-chin, we have to be careful with you. You're small and weak, you know?" She bristles at this. She didn't train for the last 3 years to be treated like this.

"I'm not weak."

"Weak people die easily, if they don't have strong people protecting them. But you have me, so don't worry too much." He says this casually, like it was just the laws of the universe, and more importantly while ignoring her. She opens her mouth to retort, but the dark look in his eyes was quite jarring.

"And anyone who would hurt you…I'd crush them with everything I have."

"Well you don't need to. I _fell."_ She couldn't say she was punched. No matter how you looked at it, Oikawa and his friends would be suspected to be a threat so she couldn't tell them she's been training with friends. She could just say that she got punched during medical training, but somehow she knew putting the blame on Kiyoshi or Riko would only open up the channel for more trouble than she was ready to put up with. Neither of them seem particularly convinced, but Kotomi sighs in frustration, running her fingers through her hair.

"Enough. I'm going now." She walks past them both, until she feels someone grab her arm again. She turns to snap at them, but her voice dries out when she spots crimson. She freezes, something chilling in his stare. It was different from the darkness she saw in Murasakibara and Aomine. It was a chilling emptiness that ate up her insides, froze her thoughts and turned her muscles to ice. It was that eye of his, golden, not like KIse's which was akin to honey or sunshine.

It was like solid gold, glaring, reflective, and cold. So cold. Even as he reached up and pressed a gentle hand to her face, and while his smile was likely meant to be warm, Kotomi felt nothing but numbing iciness. She tries to speak, but finds her voice caught by some unseen vice grip.

"I wondered what this commotion was…you fell, you said?" As if his question granted her permission, her voice returned.

"Yes, and that's all. Please let go of me, Sei. I don't like being grabbed by you guys so often." Akashi stares at Kotomi for a long moment, his eyes searching her, as if he would find the truth written somewhere on her face. Could he even tell she was lying? All the while, he's caressing her cheek, rubbing circles with his thumb. There was still the tenderness and affection in his gaze that she knew well, but it was an expression layered with some kind of shadow that warped its appearance before her eyes, changing it to something less wholesome than just pure affection.

"I see." His voice is even, and his smile only grows as she embraces her, pressing his lips to the spot. "Forgive me. You're just so small and pretty, and I missed you, is all. I'm sorry last night ended so abruptly. I'm sure you would have much preferred for me to propose properly. I will keep it in mind for the future."

"That wasn't the problem…"

"Oi."

"Aka-chin…" There was warning in both their voices, but Akashi paid them no mind, seeming quite content in just holding Kotomi close to him. Her hands twitch, conflicted. She wanted to return the hug, she missed him, but she didn't like the way he was acting.

"How long will you guys be here?" She asks this before even realizing she had used her voice, eyes wide and staring at the wall across from her. She couldn't grapple with what she was feeling.

"We're on break for the rest of this week, and then we have some business that we were assigned to address indefinitely. We'll be here until it's taken care of." He finally lets her go, her body thawing as she looks up at him as if his touch produced the frost. He chuckles softly.

"You look like a lost little kitten drenched in the rain. Don't worry, we'll be here to stay with you a while. Until then, let's spend lots of time together, like always." Kotomi forces herself to smile, remembering what she told Oikawa.

 _Just give them time._

* * *

 _Time…just give them…time._ Kotomi stares down at the paper in her hands, nails making indents as she stands in the middle of the library, eyes narrowed.

"To hell with it!" She cries. This has gone too far. She throws everything down and, practically storming into the dining hall, where she knew her friends were having a logistics meeting. Yet another matter they told her nothing about. The doors fly open as if on command as Kotomi walks into the dining hall, paper crumpled up in her fist.

"K-Koto-chan!" Momoi was here? Kotomi glances down at the papers in her hands and surmises that her friend was probably helping with something data related. That irked her in some ways, but that was just the icing on top of this garbage flavored sundae. Her eyes turn to Akashi, completely disregarding the shocked expressions of the others as she walks up to him slamming the letter on the table. Akashi seems unperturbed, glancing down at the paper in her hand before looking up at her with a smile.

"Is something wrong, Kotomi?"

"You…I can't…believe you." Kotomi's voice trembles with rage, her cheeks pink with the exertion of keeping her calm. "You _removed_ me from the medic program…?"

"I did." Akashi doesn't miss a beat in his response and isn't at all apologetic. It only serves to fuel the flames as Kotomi slams her fist into the table. Behind her, she could feel shocked stares and cautious concern for her behavior, because they knew her. She never got angry like this, and certainly not at Akashi.

"Why…? Why would you do that?" Kotomi can't stop the emotion welling up in her voice. "I've…I've worked so _hard."_ Oikawa worked so hard. Iwaizumi worked so hard. Kiyoshi, Riko, Bokuto, Kuroo, Alex…they all worked hard with her to get to this point. And like nothing, Akashi took it away.

"It's simple," Akashi explains, rounding the table towards her. Kotomi instinctively takes a step back, eyes widened as she awaited his response. What about this could possibly make it okay?

"My orders are absolute." Kotomi releases the breath she didn't know she was holding in disbelief. "I told you that you wouldn't be an on-site medic. If you agree to work in pediatrics, or ICU, I will rescind my decision to pull you out. But otherwise, you will remain here. I won't stand for you coming back with injuries from training you don't need. It's not necessary."

"Sei, are you _serious?_ You can't manipulate me like this. We're supposed to support each other, help each other… We're…we're…" Kotomi looks around for support, finding everyone in silent agreement with Akashi, demonstrated by lowered gazes, stern postures, and crossed arms. Aomine stands up, scratching his ear.

"We're family, right…?"

"So loud… all you have to do is do what we say, and you can have what you want. It's not that hard."

" _This_ isn't what I want!" Kotomi's chest burns, her eyes hurt. Not even Momoi would look at her, and the betrayal cuts deep.

"Mou, Koto-chin! It's really uncute of you to do this." Murasakibara complains, finally throwing his food down. "Just accept that you're too weak to be of any use to us." Kotomi clenches her fists.

"You don't know that!"

"Of course we do, Kotomi-cchi! We're just concerned about you, really!" Kise admits, standing up and trying to pacify the tension in the room.

"You don't know what it's like there, you don't belong in such a place."

"Because you won't tell me anything," Kotomi groans, not moved by Midorima's point this time. "You came home completely different people, and I said I'd give you time, but the longer you've been here, the more you've hid from me! How can I even begin to understand when I don't know what's happened to you guys…?" Her question brings a hushed silence over the young men in the room. That odd, vacant expression returns to each of them, except for Aomine, who saunters over to her.

"Dai-chan!" Kotomi tenses as he draws his gun, pointing it right at her head.

"Aomine-!" Midorima leaps up to intervene, horrified at the blue haired man's actions, but Akashi holds up a hand. They all knew Aomine would never harm her. He was just making a point.

"We killed people." Aomine says simply. "We killed in all kinds up ways, but mostly with these." He pushes it closer to her head. But Kotomi wasn't afraid of the gun, but rather the look in his eyes. "We killed so many people, and they died because they were weak. Some of them were younger than us. Some of them were women. But we killed because we had to. To protect you."

"To return to your side." Kuroko speaks up, and Kotomi looks at him. His expression doesn't falter, but his eyes sadden.

"Please don't look at me like that, Kotomi-chan. I didn't want you to know about that ugly side we had."

"We don't want to expose you to that world, Fujisaki." Midorima says.

"Just sit at home and wait for us, there's no reason you have to come out there." Murasakibara adds. Kotomi covers her mouth like she's about to vomit, shoving the gun away from Aomine. She tries to exit the room, but Akashi blocks her way, catching her as she runs into him. As she looks up at him, her face pales, that cold, golden iris seeping into every pore of her body, sending chills and freezing her blood.

"Do you understand now, Kotomi? We're doing this to ensure you a bright and happy future. It's what you deserve, after all. Once this war is over, once we've eliminated our enemies, we can all be together forever, just like we always have—" She takes satisfaction in the shock when she shoves him away, backing up towards the exit. Her eyes are wide and frightened as she looks frantically for something the room, as if she couldn't find it.

"I didn't make that promise with any of you…I don't know who _any_ of you are…" She ignores whoever calls out for her, running back to her room again. It was the only place she could breathe. This entire week she's been behaving herself, letting them be selfish with her time. This whole week she's been trapped a house of strangers she thought she knew. She immediately throws herself on her bed and screams into her pillow, pounding the mattress with frustration. She felt like throwing up. It was suffocating her. All of this was strangling the life from her lungs.

She needed to get out.

"Kotomicchi…" Kise looks down in dismay as Kotomi runs off. Did she hate them, now? After what Aomine had told her?

"You guys, that was too much!" Momoi finally cries, throwing her data down onto the dining room table. "Kotomi is having a hard time too, so you can't be so awful to her!"

"She's just making it hard for herself, Satsuki. If she just does what Akashi says, she can be a medic again." Aomine sighs, putting away his weapon and plopping back into his seat.

"That's not what I mean, you idiot, Dai-chan…" Momoi bites her lip, looking down at the ground. Of course she was worried about her friends too, but in some ways she did agree that Kotomi was being a touch too reckless with her decisions.

"Are we going to just leave her like that?" Midorima asks cautiously.

"She'll get over it. It's Koto-chin, she loves us." Murasakibara says simply, back to casually eating his chips. Kuroko looks downtrodden. He just wanted Kotomi to be the gentle, happy girl he left her as.

"I'll address the issue." Akashi says, returning to looking at the data on his chart. "We need to deal with the mission we've been assigned, so let's get back on track."

"To think there was a bombing here while we were training. Surely that means that there are rats within the city borders." Midorima is the first to change the subject, fiddling with the elephant ceramic sculpture he's been carrying around all day.

"All we have to do is find them and kill them, right?" Momoi flinches at how casually Murasakibara says this, biting her lip.

"If they're in the city, then they're a threat to the people. That bombing two years ago killed 27 civilians and 4 first responders. Out defenses are low, which is why we've been assigned to patrol and hunt down suspicious activity." Akashi explains to them. His eyes glance in the direction Kotomi had run off. If the culprits were still there, he would destroy them. They were a threat to what he held most dear.

"First patrol is tonight, so be ready." He dismisses them and turns to go, calling a servant to his side. Momoi glances out of the corner of her eye in concern as she watches Akashi whisper something to the butler, nodding towards the staircase, where her room and Kotomi's room resided.

"Tetsu-kun…" Momoi whispers, causing the young man to turn his head towards her.

"What is it, Momoi-san?" Momoi fidgets, hugging her clipboard to her chest and looking down at the ground with a hopeful expression.

"I…we…you'll talk to Koto-chan, right? You'll make up with her? We've all been such good friends, I don't want her to be fighting with you guys." Kuroko's expression softens, and he reaches up to pet her head affectionately, causing the pink haired girl to blush.

"Of course, Momoi-san." With that, he turns to leave. His words reassure her little, but it was something. She glances At Akashi and the butler again, wondering just how he was going to 'address' Kotomi's feelings.

As the butler nods and scurries off, Momoi can't help but hope for those days beneath the plum blossom tree to resume once more.

* * *

Later that night, Kotomi woke up from a fitful sleep, determined to see Oikawa and the others tonight. She got out of bed and set up her pillows, arranging them in such a fashion that it looked like she was sleeping. She had never felt the need to be so sneaky before, and it made her feel even more like a prisoner than she already was.

Dressing in baggy clothes, pulling her hair into a ponytail, she puts a hat over her hair to conceal her appearance. With one last look in the mirror Kotomi nods, making her way to the door. She wanted to know what to do now, and even if they didn't have answers, she wanted some form of support.

 _Click._ Kotomi blinks when the door to her bedroom doesn't open. She tries it again a few times, thinking that she was just being absentminded and forgot how to open it. But no, it wasn't opening. It was locked.

But her bedroom door didn't lock.

Kotomi takes several steps back, almost falling over from shock as it dawns on her what's going on. Did Akashi _lock_ her inside her own room? She growls softly, red flooding her vision. Suddenly playing sneaky didn't bother her nearly as much anymore. With a sharp turn, Kotomi moves to the window, feeling almost insulted to find that it wasn't locked like her door.

 _You really underestimate me like this, Sei?_ She opens the window and uses the awning below her before jumping down to her ground. She heads in the direction of the city's outskirts, her anger and disbelief overpowering her betrayal.

The city is eerily quiet as Kotomi walks through it, using the alleyways. It felt wrong to be walking out in the open with no one around. But somehow it's the most liberated she's felt all week. She was defying her best friends, and she should feel guilty, but in actuality she felt so _free._ This self-satisfaction even serves to soothe her anger, as she sighs deeply, the chilly night air refreshing to what stifled her breath earlier.

 _A peaceful night…_ Kotomi lets a smile touch her lips before she pulls her hood over her cap.

 _Click._ "Don't move." A deep, threatening voice instructs her firmly. Kotomi pauses, almost wanting to whine and groan and shout. Really? It seemed like she's been cursed, lately. She slowly raises her hands, speaking calmly.

"I'm just on my way to visit a friend, please, don't—"

"…Kotori-chan?" Kotomi whips around at this, turning to face a bewildered Oikawa, who is accompanied by an equally bewildered and shocked Kuroo and Iwaizumi. Oikawa's gun immediately lowers, his friends following suit.

"Oikawa-san, Kuroo-san, Iwaizumi-san…" Kotomi breathes softly. It awed her how the burden in her chest was suddenly 2 tons lighter as she takes a step towards them. "I was just coming to see you…"

"Where have you been, little bird?" Kuroo is the first to recover, immediately going to close the distance between them. His strong, but careful arms envelope her, and his warm, spicy scent relaxes her as she feels her eyes sting with the beginnings of tears. "Why do you look so sad?"

Sad? She looked sad? Kotomi glances at Iwaizumi and Oikawa, who are watching her as well, as if she were a wounded animal.

"I…I've been…" Kuroo looks down as she hiccups. All her anger, frustration, anxiety and fear suddenly reared their ugly heads. Kotomi hides her face in his chest, sobbing softly. The three young men exchange an expression of alarm and concern.

"It's no use, I can't recognize them…I'm trying so hard, but I'm…I'm _scared_ of them!" Kotomi sobs out, her knees weak. She feels Kuroo support her by holding her lower back.

"S-Sei put a lock on my door, he pulled me out of the medic program, and they all agree with him!" She's choking on her words at this point. It felt like acid was burning her throat as she cried.

"I want to believe in them, I want to be the way we were before, but we can't! And I…I'm just expected to be a-a a… _tool_ for them to feel better for. It's like it's _all_ I'm good for. Like I'm a pet, or a…" _A caged bird…_

"H-Hey, come on, let's calm down and talk, okay?" Kuroo's tone is uncharacteristically worried. Iwaizumi steps forward and places a hand on the back of her head, stroking her hair affectionately. Oikawa stands frozen in his spot, watching Kotomi with a wide-eyed, unreadable expression again. But Iwaizumi could tell the brunette was pissed beyond belief.

 _And in all honesty, so am I._ Iwaizumi thinks bitterly, staring at her shaking shoulders before speaking.

"We should go somewhere less open…" Kotomi pulls away, still whimpering and wiping at tears until her eyes were stinging with rawness and exhaustion. She looks to Oikawa, tears still in her eyes as her expression changes from heartbroken to a sad determination.

"I want to come with you." His eyes widen at this, but there's some hopefulness in his eyes as he smiles at her and nods.

"It'll be hard, not like the life you know now."

"But it'll be a free life." Kotomi smiles, moving closer to him. Her immediately wraps his arms around her waist, and Kotomi feels the familiar warmth she once felt with Akashi and the others.

"A free life." He repeats.

"Bo is going to have a field day when he sees you," Kuroo sighs in false exasperation. Kotomi looks back at him, giggling brightly, and he smiles.

"Oh good, you're smiling. You gave me a scare, little bird."

"Where is Bokuto-san, anyway? And why are you guys in the city again? Isn't it dangerous?"

"We're raiding for supplies." Iwaizumi explains. "Since we haven't seen you, Shittykawa cried about you abandoning us—"

"I did not cry!—"

"So we decided to try to see if we could manage a raid here."

"You chose a bad week, Sei and the others…are…"

 _"We have some business we were assigned to address indefinitely…"_ Kotomi suddenly has a sneaking suspicion that she knew what this business was.

"You guys have to go." She suddenly says, pushing Oikawa toward the alleyway."

"Just go, you can't be here."

"I thought you were coming with us!"

"Let's meet up another time! Just go, before—"

"Good evening." Kotomi's blood runs cold. She recognized that voice, but not the tone it used. It was normally a gentle, soft spoken, careful voice. But this voice was hard, cold, and devoid of emotion. She looks towards the main street to see Kuroko, dressed completely in tactical gear, bearing a firearm and a knife, each in one hand. Kuroo and Iwaizumi tense and unconsciously step in front of Kotomi, not realizing who he was to her.

"Hey, we didn't even hear you, you know. Anyone ever tell you that you're too quiet?" Kuroo asks lightly, but he guarded tone of his voice told Kotomi he was on edge. And of course he did. Kotomi felt it too. Kotomi had only ever known Kuroko's lack of presence as a means of pranking their friends, startling them during nights they camped in the backyard. But Kotomi quickly realizes what a useful tool a low presence was to a military.

"I'm told that a lot. I thought I would inform you that there is now a 12 AM curfew on the city. The military is here to inspect potential suspects of a bombing years ago." Kotomi watches him from behind Iwaizumi, Oikawa releasing her. Kuroko didn't recognize her.

 _He still thinks I'm locked up in my room…_ She thinks bitterly. It's best that she keeps it that way.

"We were on our way home." Kotomi can't help but admire how calm and collected Iwaizumi is. He was so cool…no! No time to be distracted! She needed to try and think of a way to get them out of here without exposing herself.

"Since you're outside after curfew, it's policy that we do some quick background checks on you. Is that okay?" There was no real question here, everyone knew that. Kotomi jolts when she feels an arm wrap around her shoulder and a weight almost knocking her to the floor.

"Now, Now, don't be so tense." Kotomi wants to shout when she recognizes the lazy drawl of Aomine. Oikawa takes a step back, eyes darting to Kotomi in alarm. No one had even heard him coming. Kotomi swallows hard as she hears another voice, realizing things were going to get quite messy quite fast.

"We'd rather just go home," Kuroo says hopefully, but his hand is already trailing toward his holster. Kotomi's stomach turns to ice as Aomine's voice echoes in her head.

 _We killed people._ Her vision turns to a see of blood, and she sees the pale hand in her nightmare, but she swallows the rock in her throat. Think, think, dammit!

"Don't be so cruel, we're just doing our civic duty," Kise croons as he emerges from the shadows, followed by Midorima, who pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Their expressions are relaxed, but their weapons are drawn. Kotomi feels a deep fear, not from their weapons, but the humanity and warmth she knew missing from their eyes.

 _This is what war has done to them._ They were going to kill her friends, or worse, interrogate them. They likely knew there were more than this. They would torture them, surely. She's treated torture victims before. Broken, sad, and anxious shells of human beings, unable to live without the fear of the pain they were subjected to, and the emotional toll of giving up their friends in exchange for freedom from the agony.

 _These weren't the people who left you three years ago, Kotomi. These are wounds you can't heal._ Kotomi wants to break down as she realizes that everything she's been working for hadn't prepared her for this.

"Can we get on with this?" Murasakibara looms over them from behind, silent even with his massive size. Oikawa looks up, brow twitching in fearful annoyance.

"What the hell…" He mutters, grinning wildly as he draws his own gun. He reached the same conclusion Kotomi did a few minutes ago. But her head turns as she spots crimson in the corner of her eye. Donning the same tactical gear as the others, but bearing a bayonet rifle, its silver blade gleaming in the light of the moon, Akashi faces Oikawa head on, smiling eerily. Oikawa sweats, eyeing the blade cautiously. Kotomi moves forward to stop him, but Aomine holds her in place.

"Don't move, bastard." His dark tone sends shivers down her spine, and she's terrified of looking at him, afraid of what demon she would find in his royal blue eyes. "I'll snap your neck so fast you won't feel the pain until you're at the gates of Hell."

"We don't have to fight." Akashi asserts, though he presses the blade to Oikawa's throat, the tip drawing blood. "If you just come with us quietly, we can sort this all out without any kind of trouble." Oikawa scoffs.

"You should learn to lie better. Fine, then. Let's go." Kotomi looks to Iwaizumi in alarm, but the spiky haired boy calms her with a reassuring expression. She realizes with horror that they weren't going to fight because she was here. If she could feel how imposing her childhood friends they were as a novice in combat, then they could feel it in spades. They were going to give themselves in for her.

 _No…! No!_ Aomine looks to her, unable to see her face thanks to her hood and hat, as she takes a deep, calming breath, eyes closed. When they open again, they're burning with determination.

"Oikawa." Both Akashi and Oikawa turn to her as she suddenly drives her elbow back, knocking the air out of Aomine and then driving her elbow up into his chin, knocking him so hard she hears his teeth clack. The movement is so fast, just like Iwaizumi taught her. She rushes Akashi, tackling him to the ground, body low and aiming for below his knees, her hat and hood falling off with the motions. She sees Akashi's eyes widen in recognition, but Kotomi has no time to feel smug because she shoots up, looking back at her friends with a frantic expression which bordered on hysterics.

"Oikawa, _**run!"**_ She grins reassuringly. "I'll be just fine." Kuroo is the first to trust her, tapping Iwaizumi, whose eyes linger on her a moment. He grabs Oikawa by the collar, running into the alleyways. The brunette struggles, trying to reach for Kotomi.

"Kotori-chan! Hey! You idiot…! Iwa-chan, let me go! We can't leave her!"

"Kotomicchi…?" Kotomi turns to face the stunned rainbow-colored group, standing up and staring down at Akashi with an unreadable expression. Aomine stands up, rubbing his chin and staring in disbelief at the blood running down his chin from where he bit his cheek.

"Kotomi-san…?" Kuroko looks as if he's seen a ghost, ironically, looking her up and down. Kotomi opens her mouth to say something, but a hand shoots up and grabs her by the hair, yanking her downwards so she falls to her knees.

"Why…?" Akashi's voice is calm but Kotomi knows that her next words should be chosen carefully.

"Akashi!"

"Why did you just save them, Kotomi? You defied me." Kotomi winces, his iron grip in her hair singing with pain. "They're enemies…You're ours… _mine._ " Kotomi scowls in response.

 _Forget careful!_

"The only enemies I can see…are the whole lot of you!" She practically spits this at him, her eyes blazing with defiance. Her heart was racing, her nerves were hollering and clamoring, but she had never felt more _alive_ than in this moment. She sees how much this hurts them, but it's the whole truth. She didn't know these people, and she wasn't going to let them do as they pleased. Not anymore. Akashi's eyes narrow, and his grip tightens, ignoring Kotomi's cry of pain.

"Then perhaps I need to correct your eyesight."

* * *

 **Next time:**

"Do you plan to keep me locked away forever…?"

"Even if you don't agree, you belong to us. When I see your 'friends' again, I'll make sure they know that."

"Kotomi-san, your mind has been corrupted. They're not who you think they are."

"What, you thought we were just going to leave you behind, Kotori-chan!?"


	6. And We All Fall Down

**Author's Note: This chapter went through so many rewrites, especially on the action scenes. I really hope I was able to convey something exciting and still in character. I really got lost in writing the emotional turmoil of the GOM and Kotomi, but I actually want to save it for later down the line. A lot is left unsaid. I hope you guys enjoy it anyway!**

 **Thanks to** **bibahhh** _ **for the follow!**_

 _ **Reviews:**_

 _ **bibahhh (Chapter 5, March 4):**_

 **Thank you so much for your feedback! I'm trying really hard to keep everyone in character and even draw some parallels to canon, but with the emotionally charged nature of this AU, it's one of my biggest worries for this story. Oikawa is our scum prince, so I figured he would be intrigued and irritated by Kotomi's enigmatic personality, haha.**

 **Kotomi's time before the Akashi family actually explains a large part of her character later down the road, and it will be revealed with time! Here's a hint: She is a fighter in many contexts! Thanks for reading I hope you continue to enjoy! Plus I am working slowly though Jack of All Trades, it's coming, I promise!(PS. Your English is great!)**

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 6: And We All Fall Down**

" _Look, Kotomi," She doesn't recognize the voice nor the arms that hold her above the ground, but she does recognize the tree she points at. "Those are called plum blossoms, or ume. Aren't they pretty…? They only bloom in the spring time."_

 _Kotomi holds out her tiny hand to watch the petal flutter down into her palm, pressing her face up against the stranger, squishing her cheek. She felt so warm, so safe._

 _"Every flower has a special magic, you know. Your name, Fuji, comes from a flower called the wisteria. The magic in your name will help you grow to be elegant and dignified." The girl giggles as her nose is tickled._

 _"What about ume? What does ume do?" She asks curiously, but as her eyes catch the silhouette of someone standing under the tree, the voice's response disrupts the transient peace._

 _"A plum blossom grows strong and beautiful after a cold and difficult winter…do you want to be like that too?"_

Kotomi awakes with a start from the dream, or was it a memory? She sits up from the bed, looking around blearily at the empty concrete slabs and sighing in mild distress. She'd much rather stay in the creepy dream with the familiar stranger than be awake for this. She glances at the tray of food left for her on the single metal table in the cell but makes no move to touch it. Akashi had thrown her in here as punishment for her treason. A day had passed since then, as far as she could tell.

"A light sentence, considering what you've done." He reasoned. The others made no move to help her, their faces conflicted as she was dragged to the city's old prison. She didn't blame them for those looks of anger, betrayal and confusion. They didn't know Oikawa and the others like she did, after all. It was natural to view such strangers as the enemy.

But wasn't putting her in the city prison a bit much? Hardly anyone came by this part of the city anymore, why take her here? It was nearing the edge of the border, closer than any normal citizen was willing to stay. Perhaps he was planning to punish her in his own way, rather than letting the law throw her in prison?

 _I don't know which one would be worse._ She takes a deep breath as she hears the door to the prison open, followed by the footsteps and an array of technicolored heads enters her line of vision. She's only genuinely angered Akashi once or twice in their childhood and borne witness to the many unfortunate souls who had angered him in some way. He was the perfect balance of amnesty and militance that had an uncanny way of making you sorry in every sense of the word.

"You're awake, good." Akashi, flanked by the usual Kuroko, Aomine, Midorima, Kise, and Murasakibara, as well as a stranger. He was a young man whom she didn't recognize, though. He was incredibly beautiful, with fine features, a strong jawline, mussy, jet black hair and cobalt blue eyes. Despite the gravity of the situation, he was quite calm, arms cuffed behind his back and Aomine pressing a gun up to his back.

"Have you come to scold me some more?" She asks innocently, glancing with a questionable once over of the newcomer. He glances at her once, but Aomine gives him a shove forward, his head hitting the bars of the cell.

"Don't be a brute, Daiki!" Her voice is sharp. Kotomi reaches up to try and touch the stranger's wound, but he's pulled away before she can get close.

"Better not touch him, Koto-chin." Murasakibara holds the young man by his hair, the pretty face contorted in pain. Murasakibara smiles in amusement. "Who knows how many diseases this guy could have, right?" Kotomi scowls at him.

"I've come to teach you a lesson, Kotomi. You're a smart girl, just naïve. This man is a rebel, just like those vagabonds that put you in here." Kotomi's eyes widen as she looks back at the young man in alarm, grabbing the bars and shaking them, glaring heatedly at Akashi. But he only smiles at her, golden eye gleaming with delight.

" _You_ put me in here." Kotomi asserts. "Don't push the blame onto someone else, Sei. It's unbecoming."

"Since you want to go to the battlefield so bad, we're gonna show you what it means to kill someone." Aomine says with a grin, causing Kotomi to kick the bars again. She didn't know him, but there was a chance he was someone to her friends. There was no way she could idly sit by and let him get killed just for them to prove a point.

"He's innocent!"

"We caught him trying to plant another bomb in the city, Kotomi-chan." Kuroko announces, his eyes hard and merciless. "He's a threat that has to be put down." Kotomi bites her lip, looking down.

"Even so, am I a threat, too now? Would you be able to kill me? I helped _terrorists_ escape."

"You're just confused, Kotomicchi," Kise reasons, reaching through the bars to touch her cheek, cupping it and rubbing the smooth skin of her face with his thumb and an affectionate expression.

 _Don't touch me._

"It's because we were away from you for so long, but now we're back. And we won't make the mistake of leaving you again." There's a deeper meaning to his words, and Kotomi purses her lips, biting the inside of her cheek so hard she's about to draw blood.

"I don't want to be by your side if you're like this." His face falters at this, and he looks down so pitifully that Kotomi _almost_ feels guilt, but it's overwhelmed by the panic she felt on behalf of someone who was unlucky enough to get caught up in all this drama.

"This person is not that different from us. Just trying to survive. If you kill him, who is not in combat with you, who is completely at your mercy, then you're no good than monsters."

"It isn't about killing because we want to, we're minimizing liabilities." Midorima explains, clutching an expensive vase close to his side. "If this man could get inside the city, he's a walking map to his comrades. Then, they'll be storming the city, and will be able to lay out the order they lay siege on us."

"This is how the world works, Kotomi." Akashi holds a hand out to her, kicking out the young man's knees so that he knelt before them, pressing his own pistol to the back of his head. Kotomi kicks the bars in vain, her panic rising.

"Sei, _stop_ it!" Her voice has a note of desperation. "Please, don't do this!"

 _This isn't you._

"This is the world, Kotomi. It's cruel, and only the powerful survive."

"You won't be able to go back if you do this! It's different than killing in battle!"

 _I don't know you._

"Because we're powerful, we can protect you. But if you're going to side with the weak, we'll have no choice but to show you what the world does to those who are easily broken."

"Stop!" She looks desperately to the rest of them, but her pleas fall upon deaf ears. Panic fills her chest and she finds feels the ache of forming bruises littered all over her body from slamming herself into it. Tears streak her face as she throws herself against the bars. "Please, stop it, stop it!"

 _Is this…?_ Kotomi sobs weakly, her heart about to break right in half. If she had just sat in her room, if she had just been their happy and gentle Kotomi, would she have ever come to realize such a horrific truth? That her friends were gone, replaced by these cold-eyed killers? That this war had finally touched her life beyond the day she was found in the ashes of some slum city?

"This is all because you defied me, Kotomi. My orders are absolute. The winners are awarded everything, and the losers are denied the right to life. I only want you to be a winner like us."

"I'll never forgive you if you do this."

"It doesn't matter." Kotomi's eyes widen in disbelief at this. "As long as you live, the way you feel doesn't matter."

 _Am I even human in your eyes, anymore?_

"Don't worry your pretty little head too much, Kotomi." Aomine's hand on her head burns her scalp as he grins a wide, toothy grin that makes her feel nauseous. "You won't be too mad for long."

 _Is this my fault?_

* * *

 _Will you spend the rest of your life an obedient song bird?_

* * *

Kotomi shuts her eyes, waiting for the gunshot that would destroy her dreams of that faraway plum tree, of days of eating biscuits and poetry.

"This is hard to listen to." Kotomi's eyes fly open at the new, smooth voice, tear-flooded irises falling on the young man whose face is pointed toward the ground. Akashi's smile falls right off his face, becoming unreadable to most. But Kotomi could see the annoyance as clear as day.

"No one told you to speak."

"If I'm about to die for something as trivial as a 'lesson,' then I'd like to have a few words." Aomine steps forward to stomp on his head, but Akashi raises a hand to stop him.

"No, let him talk. I'll grant him this last wish." The young man sits up, those cobalt blue irises scanning the room impassively. His eyes finally fall on Kotomi, as he seems to appraise her for a moment. She suddenly feels quite self-conscious, sniffling pathetically and looking away, rubbing at raw eyes. Eventually, she glances back at him to find his expression softened.

"Just a little longer." Kotomi blinks, confusion veiling her fear and despair for a moment as she tries to find meaning in his words.

"That doesn't mean you can talk to Kotomicchi, you're beneath her." Kise states, eyes narrowing. He didn't like the way the stranger gazed upon her. Lately, he didn't like the idea of anyone looking at Kotomi, but parts of him understood it was irrational.

"I know that this girl no longer belongs at your side, not if you treat her like some kind of prized pet like this. I think I'd like to take her off your hands."

"You talk a lot for someone who's about to die. Aka-chin, just kill him already, I'm getting tired of listening to trash move its mouth." Murasakibara glowers, looking down on the seated captive as if he were some foul insect. Unperturbed, the young man turns to face Kotomi, a tiny smile curling his lips, sparking with some kind of knowing emotion.

"Kotori-chan, was it?" The familiar nickname makes her perk up, and she looks right into stunning cobalt, lips parting in a small 'o' as she starts to realize when 'just a little longer' meant.

"What are you going on about? How do you know about her?" Midorima asks, irritation showing on his brow. None of them liked how familiar he seemed with her at all. Even Kuroko was regarding the young man with a dark, uneasy expression. But the two ignore their looks, even with the gun trained right at the dark-haired teen's back.

"Honestly, I didn't really understand why Bokuto-san wouldn't stop talking about you, but I think I understand a little now."

"You're…you must be Akaashi-san." Kotomi reasons.

"So you recognize me."

"A little. Bokuto-san can't draw, but I recognized your spiky hair."

"I feel like I should get revenge for that…"

"You've had your words," Kise suddenly cries, his golden eyes almost feral as he watches the amicable exchange between an _enemy_ and his most beloved person. "How dare you be so friendly with our Kotomicchi! It's your guys' fault that she ended up like this!" Akaashi continues to ignore him, his eyes flickering towards the other side of the hall when she hears a revving engine from outside.

"Do me a favor, Kotori-chan, I need you to duck."

"Huh…?" Realization and explosions occur at the same exact moment, and Kotomi just barely manages to duck as a blast rocks the building further down the hall. Everyone staggers a bit, but Aomine is the first to recover, already sprinting down the hallway toward the explosion.

"Atsushi, Tetsuya. Go follow Daiki. Ryota, Shintaro, follow me. We'll come from the front and see for ourselves what's going on." Akashi barks and then fires at Akaashi once while the others are following their orders. The dark-haired teen manages to dodge it, the stray bullet flying into Kotomi's cell, just narrowly missing her leg.

"You stay away from her. She belongs to us." Akashi says this calmly, but so intensely that Kotomi wants to cower in his presence. But she throws herself at the bars one more time, reaching out and grabbing hold of Akashi's arm, yanking it hard as Akashi is firing again. This time, the shot embeds itself in the cell wall behind her. He pulls back as if she had shot him, eyes widened with betrayal. She shoots back a defiant, wild expression he's never seen before.

Before he can even respond to her interference, Kotomi hears a familiar cry, and a flash of silver and black blurs past her eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey!"

"Bokuto-san!" Kotomi and Akaashi cry out at the same time. The two-toned silver-haired teen clashes with Akashi, the latter having to use his pistol to block the knife Bokuto tries to strike him with.

"Akaashi, get Komi-chan somewhere safe and rendezvous with the others! Komi-chan, cut 'im loose!" He uses his free hand to toss her another knife, which she catches.

"Kotomi!" Akashi warns as she begins to overpower Bokuto, much to her shock and amazement. Bokuto was among the toughest to beat, strength-wise. And while Akashi didn't seem weak in any sense of the word, seeing him overpower a much bulkier male was shocking, to say the least. Kotomi shakes her head after a moment, grabbing the knife. Akaashi shoves his hands through the bars, having the cuffs' chain sit against the cell door.

"The blade should be strong enough. Strike it!" He instructs. Kotomi raises the knife above her head and brings it down with as much strength as she can muster, the chain separating after two consecutive blows. Akaashi opens up his palm to reveal the cell door key. Kotomi's eyes light up in amazement, but there was no time to ask about the finer things regarding their escape plan.

Akaashi unlocks the door, grabbing Kotomi's hand and making a sprint for the door, but Kotomi feels a sharp tug on her head and she falls backwards. Akashi had grabbed her by her ponytail, holding on for dear life while still fending off Bokuto.

"You're not going anywhere." His voice held dark promise. "I'll lock you away in a box in the dark, and no one will see you but me!" Both Akaashi and Bokuto look alarmed at this declaration, but Kotomi felt that she knew that it would come to this.

"Sei…" He meets her eyes as she glances back at him, crimson and gold meeting cornflower blue for the first time in a week. There's longing and obsession in his eyes rather than malice.

"We need you here, Kotomi. Don't give up on us. We promised we'd be together forever, isn't that right? Satsuki needs you here, too." Kotomi's heart skips a beat at this. Leaving meant not being able to come back. At least, not a free person.

"Kotomi," His voice makes the room's air feel much heavier, like someone was sitting directly on top of her head, pushing her shoulders. Kotomi swallows hard, and she knows he's looking at her, even though her back is to him. "Let's start over."

"Sei…"

"As if I'd let you do that!" Bokuto cries. He grabs Akashi by the collar and knees him in the stomach. Akashi grunts in pain and hunches over but doesn't let go of her hair.

"Kotomi is free to live the life that makes her happy, but when she talks about you, her heart is crying!" Kotomi's eyes widen at this, and her mind clears. Her fist tightens around the handle of the blade, and she brings it up, quickly, slicing through her hair and allowing her to separate from Akashi's iron grip. Strands of loose hair fall to the ground as she falls forward, being caught by Bokuto's dark haired comrade.

The redhead stumbles and gasps in shock, but she's already running ahead, dragging Akaashi along wth her as they head up the stairs towards the sound of running engines. It's pure and utter chaos outside, Guards swarming the area. Luckily, they haven't noticed the two of them yet.

"How are we getting out of here?"

"We stole a few of your jeeps," Akaashi admits, searching the ground for a weapon of some kind, remaining calm despite the lack of any kind of defense.

"How did you manage to steal jeeps? We can't travel too far with jeeps, there are no real gas stations outside the city!"

"We'll move quickly through the deserted places, and head to an extraction point. We can abandon the jeeps there." Akaashi asserts, stopping his search in vain. Kotomi notices some trash cans to the side. She glances at it and raises a brow to Akaashi, who only returns the same expression, but incredulous.

"How much damage could we possibly do with those?" He asks while she pulls a lid off the can, offering one to Akaashi and taking the other for herself.

"I would like to refrain from hurting anyone…so only as much damage as is absolutely necessary."

"Stop right there!" Just as they're reaching the top, they're stopped by two soldiers, guns trained on them. Kotomi kicks the one can over and towards the soldiers. They stumble back, once firing off a few shots, which grazes Kotomi's arm and Akaashi's face. His friend grabs the other's muzzle.

"No! Don't you recognize her!? She's with the Akashi family!" While they're bickering, Kotomi throws the cover at the other soldier and rushes the other at the same time, managing to get a hand on his gun, kneeing him in the stomach and headbutting him.

Kotomi throws the handgun to Akaashi, who dispatches them both with one shot to the leg each.

"Akaashi-san, lead the way!"

"Right!" Akaashi takes the lead just as a military jeep comes into view. Kotomi stops, but Akaashi takes her hand, holding it securely and giving her a calm, reassuring smile.

"It's our ride."

"Kotori-chan!" Her eyes glisten with tears as she recognizes the voice. Oikawa stands on top of the jeep as they meet halfway, stopping in front of them. Kuroo is at the wheel, while Iwaizumi rides shotgun.

"Well, looks like the little birdie made it out of her cage~" His cattish smile is underplayed by the genuine relief in his eyes.

"Oi, Akaashi-kun, Kotomi is here now, so you can let go of her hand!" Oikawa points at their interlaced fingers. They quickly detach from one another, but Kotomi reaches up to touch the small cut on Akaashi's head from when Murasakibara had slammed it into the cell, smiling. Oikawa squawks angrily from the gesture while Akaashi watches her wide eyes.

"Let me treat this, later?"

"It's just a cut, though."

"It's a cut that you got because of me, let me take responsibility." He smiles at this and takes her hand again.

"Well, when you put it like that, I can't stop you." Oikawa suddenly jumps in between them.

"Enough, I said-!" Kuroo slams on the horn, which shocks them all, and he hits the steering wheel, grinning wildly.

"Hate to be a party pooper, but let's get the hell out of here!"

"Target acquired, all units pull out." Iwaizumi states into his walkie-talkie, his eyes never leaving Kotomi. Oikawa finally turns to Kotomi and immediately wraps his arms around her. Kotomi feels her entire body relax as she closes her eyes and places her hands on his back to return the hug.

"You did well, Kotori-chan, sorry to have kept you waiting…" Kotomi shuts her eyes and shakes her head, taking a deep, shaky breath.

"You took too long…"

"Hate to interrupt again, but we should get going. Bokuto-san and the others have probably pulled out, which means that they're going to realize she's gone." Akashi states, climbing into the back. Oikawa quite literally sweeps Kotomi off her feet.

"Let's go?" He asks her one more time, and Kotomi smiles warmly, nodding.

"Yes, let's go."

 _Thunk._

Both of them look down, eyes widening simultaneously as they recognized the green, oval shape with ridges, missing its vital metal pin.

"Shi-!" Oikawa turns to run for the jeep, but the blast sends the world spinning and the Kotomi finds her eyes looking up at the sky, Kotomi landing in her disorientation on the ground. Her ears ring and her vision blurs. Parts of her body sears with the white-hot pain, likely from burns. She tries to view her surroundings, looking for Oikawa and the others. There's no way they could have been killed.

"Kotomicchi!" She hears Kise in the distance, and she tries to pick herself up, not willing to be caught again. She couldn't go back with them.

Not without a fight.

She feels someone grab her by the arm, attempting to pick her up. Her eyes are too disoriented to focus, but she can see the baby blue of Kuroko, his ghostly appearance just barely visible in the chaos. His eyes are slightly widened with concern, softened by fear. He scoops her up into a sitting position and cups her cheek, tapping it.

"Kotomi-chan! Kotomi-chan! Don't go to sleep!" Her chest aches and she cant help coughing, tasting copper in her mouth.

"No, I don't want…"

"I found her! Get the medics ready!" Kotomi grits her teeth.

"Kotori-chan!" Her eyes look for the source of the voice blindly until she spotted him several feet away, her vision finally coming into focus. He's clutching his arm as blood dribbles all the way down to his fingertips. There were jeeps gathering behind him, another set of geared up rebels dismounting to come to Oikawa's aid. Kuroko curses softly, drawing his pistol as Kotomi hears Kise shouting for the others to follow him.

"They're over here!"

"Kotomi-chan is hurt!" Despite the ringing, the searing pain, and her blurry vision, Kotomi musters everything she had, her hand finding a chunk of street concrete.

"Tetsuya…I'm so sorry, but I can't be by your side like this!" She uses the chunk of concrete to hit him in the head. She was too weak to do any actual damage, but the shock and pain is enough to have him reel back. Without waiting for him to recover, she's stumbling as she makes a blind dash for Oikawa, who is running to meet her halfway.

"Kotomi!" she pauses when she hears the desperation in Kuroko's voice, and she turns back to look at him. His are blazing with anger, but also with fear and desperation.

"If you leave, you become our enemy! Please, reconsider!" Her heart stops at this. All of them looked desperate. Blue, gold, purple, green, all of them seemed frantic at the prospect of her leaving. And this made her hesitate. Even if they pained her so, with all her heart, she just wanted to see them the way she remembered them. Her expression falls, and she looks at them closely, trying to see the people she missed so deeply, the people she loved. She unwittingly takes a step towards them, rubbing at her nose as she coughs lightly.

"You don't have to stay!"

Ash and dust fill her lungs as she coughs and hacks, looking up with tears in her eyes at the outstretched hand. She could hear them calling for her, telling her to return to them, but her eyes were locked with his. Oikawa smiles at her, nodding as if answering a question she didn't know to ask just yet.

"You said that they're your world, but there's more to the world than those guys, and we can show it to you!" his voice is louder than anyone else's in the world right now.

"You're not caged. You're free!" His truth finally reaches her, despite the walls of deception she had helped them build around her. No more lying to herself. No more waiting for people who would never come home. Without another thought, she lunges for his hand, gasping in desperation.

* * *

 _ **Bang**_ _._

* * *

Kotomi registers the shock and horror in Oikawa's eyes before she understands what happened. She hears someone cry in agony, and then she feels the sharpness, and an odd tightness, and the wetness on her abdomen. She slows down, walking slowly toward Oikawa. She staggers to a stop as she looks down, her hand touching the pained spot and tilting her head at the red wetness that stains her palm and fingers.

She looks back as well, all six of her childhood friends staring in horror. Kuroko's head slowly turns to see one of the soldiers Akaashi had shot earlier holding the literal smoking gun. He looks just as horrified as the rest.

"I..it was an accident…!"

Three things happen in the next moment:

Oikawa screams her name as he runs toward her.

Aomine shoots the unfortunate soldier right in the head.

Kotomi feels her legs give out, her body crumpling as the searing pain takes the breath from her lungs.

"Kotomi!" Oikawa drops the nicknames, all the mirth from his voice gone. He holds her close as Kotomi tries to move her lips, but she couldn't muster a single vibration. Oikawa scoops her up, holding her close to him so tightly that she would complain about the pain if she hadn't been shot.

"We'll get you somewhere safe, just stay awake!" Kuroko and the others are racing towards them, but Kuroo, Iwaizumi, Akaashi, followed by Bokuto and his team making their rendezvous, hiding behind the jeeps to fire. Kise has released the strain he's been containing all this time, using dual hunting knives to slash through his own comrades and the rebels. His cheeks are streaked with tears, but his eyes are nothing but rage as he roars in agony.

Kuroko has disappeared, but rebels are dropping like flies, throats cut before they can even realize anything is happening. Murasakibara and Aomine are using their bare hands to break necks and punch until people were coughing up blood, their eyes trained on Oikawa, who is trying to stop the blood on Kotomi's wound.

Akashi and Midorima are walking in the path their comrades created. Midorima keeps his rifle up as Akashi's guard, while Akashi practically glides through the bloodshed dodging incoming soldiers, grabbing their arms, and stabbing them without blinking an eye.

"What the hell kind of monsters are your friends, little bird?" Kuroo is grinning animalistically, but his tone is concerned. They were starting to get close.

"We need to retreat!" Akaashi shouts across the gunfire, keeping his eye trained through the crosshairs of his sniper rifle, comfortably resting on the hood of a jeep.

"But I'm not finished yet!" Bokuto roars, using his dagger and palm to get into close quarters and slaughter anyone who came into his radius, moving so quickly that no one could keep their muzzle trained on him.

"Kotomi needs to be treated!" Iwaizumi slides into the driver's seat, starting the engine. "We're not letting her get taken again!" Bokuto bares his teeth at the rampaging soldiers, grunting as he turns to run for the jeeps again.

"Shit, fine!"

"Kotomi!" More gunfire ensues as Kotomi loses sense of space and time, her eyes staring up at the sky. It was dusk, now, the sky a lovely shade of purple bleeding into blue. She could hear muffled voices frantically clamoring amongst each other, resting her hand at her abdomen. She was in so much pain she couldn't move or scream or cry. Was this what it felt like? How horrifying…Kotomi quickly feels the darkness eating at the corners of her vision but trailing behind it is something else. She thought she was going into shock, but…this wasn't supposed to happen?

She saw flashes of someone above her. They were crying and begging her to do something. Then she saw tests, strangers, pill bottles, and one face she recognized all too well. Her crimson red hair and matching eyes. In her arms rested a bouquet of cornflowers. Kotomi finds herself smiling, but the smile fades as she looks down at the shard of broken glass, stained red by the blood on her hands.

"Help me…"

"I want to live."

"Live on, Kotomi."

The darkness took her shortly after, but Kotomi fights it every inch of it.

* * *

"Kotomi! Kotomi!" Oikawa shakes her firmly but carefully, his eyes furious, but not at the bleeding girl he held in his arms, or the stains of red she was leaving on his shirt. He was angry at the fading light in her eyes, the paleness of her skin, and the copious amounts of blood pouring from the wound in her abdomen.

"Don't move her too much. Let's stop the bleeding first. As long as we can slow it-" Akaashi announces, trying to take her from his arms. Oikawa yanks her away, holding her close.

"Don't touch her!" Iwaizumi is quick to swoop in and punch the back of Oikawa's head, shouting amongst the gunfire.

"Hand her over, dumbass! We have to cover them so they can get her help!"

"But-!"

"If you don't, she'll die, and _I'll_ kill you!" Iwaizumi grabs his friend by the collar of his vest, slamming their foreheads together. "We didn't come back just to watch her die, did we?" At this, Oikawa composes himself, taking a deep breath as he turns to Akaashi.

"Akaashi-kun, watch over her."

"Understood." Akaashi lays her over the backseat, immediately pressing hard on the wound, which brings Kotomi back to painful reality, and she moans weakly, biting her lip.

Akaashi tries to keep her talking, to keep her awake, even if all she can manage is glances and pained cries. Noise meant she was alive. Oikawa climbs onto the jeep and hits the back, keeping his rifle aimed as they begin to speed away. He makes full eye contact with Kotomi's friends, grinning without humor as they scowl at him.

"Iwa-chan. Do you have any more grenades left?" Iwaizumi raises a brow, handing him the two hanging on his pouch.

"What are you planning?" Oikawa stands up, his eyes similar to a predator whose just spotted its prey for the first time in days.

"Just a little distraction and a little revenge~" Iwaizumi looks back as well, his eyes narrowing as he nods in approval. His eyes gleam with a quiet anger.

"Don't kill them."

"That would be too easy, Iwa-chan!" he bites the pins on both grenades, reeling back to simultaneously pull them out, launching them as hard as he can into the battlefield. They land just as they explode creating a cover for them with another wall of dust and smoke. Oikawa sits back on the ground, placing a hand on Kotomi's head, and caressing her forehead, sighing in relief as he presses his forehead to hers.

"You're going to be okay, now." Kotomi visibly relaxes, her hand moving weakly to pinch the sleeve of his shirt, eyelids fluttering. A peace settles over the drive as they head into the night, flanked by the other cars. They were heading home.

* * *

Once the smoke clears, and the bloodshed slowed, Akashi finds himself staring blankly at the crimson staining the disturbed dirt. It's where she had collapsed. It was the only thing left of her, now.

"Akashi…" Midorima is standing behind him, his eyes worn with despair and lingering shock. Murasakibara kicks at the corpse of a rebel, still raging.

"Oi! We still have some jeeps, don't we!? We're going after them!"

"For what?" Aomine's voice is as dead as the bodies littering the city, his eyes still staring into the horizon. "So we can burn her body and stare at the fucking ashes all day?"

"She's not dead! She's not!" Kise sobs in frustration, sitting on the ground, clutching his head. "She wouldn't be, if they hadn't take her-!" Kuroko stares at his calloused, blood spattered hands with disdain.

"I dirtied my hands to protect her. To protect us. And now…they can't treat her out there. Why did they have to take her…?" He falls to his knees, covering his face.

"It's only natural." Kuroko looks up slowly, eyes widened in stunned horror as Akashi turns to face them. He was eerily calm, wiping blood off on a nearby soldier body before putting it back in its sheath.

"What…?"

"She became our enemy in that moment. She wasn't willing to be strong, so she lost, and she died. There was nothing we could have done for her. We cannot help those who don't wish to be helped." He asserts, walking head. "We should report this to the Commander and Captain."

"Akashicchi, how the hell can you be so calm…? Kotomicchi, she—"

"Betrayed us. And now she's dead. This is how the world works, remember? It doesn't exempt anyone from the rules. All we can do is continue to be strong. The strongest. Or you'll end up like her." Kise clenches his fists, the grit of sand and dirt scraping his well-manicured fingers, looking amongst his friends, particularly Kuroko.

"Just as Akashi says, Kise." Midorima sounds exhausted, turning to go as well. "If you disagree, then stay home with Momoi and stay out of our way."

"We can't even bury her…" Kuroko murmurs weakly, tearing up and clutching his chest.

"That isn't a new development either, it's a shame, but we did everything in our power to protect her. There was no helping it. Let's go back. I won't say it again. Those of you that don't agree, or wish to wallow in their pity, stay here." The others nod, slowly staggering to their feet, and reluctantly starting to follow. First Akashi, then Aomine, Murasakibara, Midorima, Kise, and then finally Kuroko, who lingers the longest, bringing out the old worn patch of cotton from his pocket and bringing it to his lips. A single tear slips down his cheek, before his eyes harden, and he follows.

The last gasp of humanity they could muster. There was nothing stopping the fall, now.

* * *

Kotomi stirs before she opens her eyes, knowing that whatever reality she awoke to would require quite a bit of energy. She could faintly hear arguing, catching bits and pieces, the heads and tails of sentences followed by garbled confusion.

"We didn't have…She's a threat to us."

"You don't know her…Kotori….suffered…"

"We don't need…useless…" Were they talking about her? She couldn't recognize any voices, but the tones didn't sound too pleased. As she opens her eyes, she squints at the dim light shining directly on her eyes. The words finally start making sense to her.

"We won't throw her out on the streets again. She helped us escape, she has nowhere to go after this."

"Why would you want a traitor amongst you, anyway?" Kotomi glances to the side, spotting an incensed Iwaizumi and Kuroo. The latter happens to catch her gaze, and he seems to light up, not in the same way that Bokuto would, but in his eyes. They were usually a dark brown, but when he was excited, concentrating, or happy, they seemed to gleam so much that his irises were more like copper.

"Little bird!" The talking stops and Iwaizumi's eyes widen as well as he sits down at the folding chair at her side.

"Are you okay? Anything hurt really bad? More than it should?"

"Kotori-chan!" That voice she did recognize. Oikawa's distressed expression appears in her line of sight as he cups her cheek, which stings slightly. She reaches up with a hand to touch his, smiling weakly. She glances around, trying to find her bearings.

The dark-haired teen finds herself in a small, dirty old hospital room, nothing like the Akashi owned hospitals with their pristine tiles and paper white walls. Cheap wallpaper hung in strips on concrete skeletons that once resembled windows and walls. It was dark, and Kotomi couldn't see the outside. Her back ached from an old mattress that creaked if she moved a centimeter.

And everything hurt. She grits her teeth as burning pain jumps up and her spine and her face and arms sting from burns and cuts. There was a thin, moth-eaten blanket covering her form. Her eyes travel to the side, quite surprised to see an IV drip attached to her bandaged arm. She also spots someone she didn't recognize standing near the foot of her bed.

He was a tall, imposing figure wearing a white general's uniform, though his hat was neatly tucked under his arm to expose olive brown hair. He has sharp eyes with the same color, which gaze upon her with a familiar expression. A cautious distrust alongside something less threatening, as if he was unsure of what to do in her presence. It was the same look as her friends when they first met, as well. But Oikawa is quick to step into her line of sight again, gripping the bars of the bed tightly.

"Are you hungry? Tired? In pain?"

"I-"

"We can get you anything you need, so don't be shy!"

"Alright, but I-"

"Don't worry about anything now, okay? How are you feeling?"

"Um-" A fist flies out of nowhere and makes its landing on the top of chocolate brown locks, causing Oikawa to groan in pain as Iwaizumi growls.

"Wait for her to answer something!"

"What's your name, girl?" Kotomi grunts in pain as she slowly sits up. Her abdomen shrieks hysterically at the movement. Kuroo places a hand on her back to help her. His hand lingers on he shoulder as he smiles softly at her, as if waiting for her to ask him for more support. Instead, she returns a silent thanks before she faces the unfamiliar man. He didn't seem much older than her, but he seemed important.

"Fujisaki Kotomi, sir. May I ask who you are?" She half expects some kind of angered response calling her insolent and ungrateful, but he merely nods.

"Ushijima Wakatoshi. My father is currently the standing commander of the Special Defense and Preservation Squad." Kotomi tilts her head to the side, never having heard the term before. She looks to the three of her friends.

"This is the army we belong to, Kotori-chan. This guy is unfortunately our superior." Instead of noting Oikawa's blatant disrespect, Ushijima approaches her, purposefully looming over her and staring into her eyes, as if trying to pry into her very soul.

"Fujisaki Kotomi. You understand why I am opposed to them having saved you."

 _Getting straight to the point, I see…_ Kotomi thinks as she smiles without humor. She knew she wasn't planning on betraying anyone here, but she couldn't blame him for being suspicious of her.

"Of course. I am a city girl, who was close with one of the most powerful families in our society, and who helped tighten the borders and abandoned approximately 90% of the original population more than a century ago. There is no discernable reason that I should want to join you other than to deceive you."

"Then-"

"But your men have shown me considerable kindness, more than I deserve, and more than I know what to do with. Therefore, I humbly ask you to let me join your ranks as a medic to repay them." Kotomi folds her hands in her lap and bows her head to him, ignoring the way it pounds in protest.

"What can you do?" His voice doesn't sound disbelieving or angry, just inquisitive. It is a bit surprising to her, but she doesn't voice that she half expected him to reject her immediately.

"I will heal their wounds, treat their illnesses, and protect everyone as best I can, as I have for Oikawa-san, Iwaizumi-san, Kuroo-san, and Bokuto-san. If it so pleases you, if you feel that I am ever failing them, or if you feel that I have an ulterior motive, then by all means: take my head as proof of my loyalty to them."

There's a collective gasp around the room as Oikawa takes Kotomi by the shoulders and has her look up, his eyes flaring up with shock and anger at her declaration. He wants to believe she had a lapse in judgement and told a bad joke, but three years have taught him that she made stupid decisions on her own from time to time.

"Little bird," Kuroo cautions, glancing up at Ushijima's face with a bead of sweat running down his temple. At least the taller teen seemed just as shocked by the declaration as everyone else. "I think that's a bit much, isn't it?"

"It's too much." Iwaizumi echoes.

"If you refuse me, I don't have anywhere else to go. I can't go back to my old home. Let me die under my terms than live in captivity, that's all I ask." She keeps her head bowed, clenching the blanket in her fists rightly as she awaits his response. Ushijima's expression falls into an unreadable one.

"Hey, hey, hey!" The doors flying open and a rowdy Bokuto sprinting into the room, with Akaashi following close behind disrupts the tense air. The silver haired teen is on Kotomi in seconds. If it weren't for Akashi grabbing hold of his collar, he would have tackled her, or at least met Iwaizumi's fist in his efforts.

"Sorry, I tried to stop him." Akaashi reasons.

"Oi, Shittykawa, I thought you said you and Kuroo hogtied him in the closet." Iwaizumi glares at the two of them.

"W-We did!" Oikawa raises his hands in defense. Kuroo looks away, whistling.

"Hm hm hm!" Bokuto laughs in a haughty manner, chest puffed out pride. "I'm way too awesome and strong for simple rope to hole me back!"

"Next time, use wire."

"Or chains."

"I think you should chain him up outside, to be honest."

"Akaashi, you're supposed to take my side!" Bokuto pulls out of his friends' grip to approach Kotomi with a surprisingly serious expression, the shift quicker than the flip of a switch. His hand comes up and picks up a lock of Kotomi's hair as he smiles brightly at her, though there's a strain of genuine relief and concern.

"You're finally, home, huh? Welcome!" Kotomi finds her lips turning up as she nods. Her heart thuds heavily in her chest as Bokuto's form becomes blurry. She sees the distorted Bokuto-shaped blob leap back, making a distressed screech noise as he waves his arms frantically.

"Wait, sorry! I'm sorry! Did that hurt!?"

"Bokuto, you idiot!" Oikawa is at her side in seconds.

"Did something hurt? Water, someone get water and pain killers!"

"Got it!" Iwaizumi moves to race out of the room. Kotomi covers her mouth as she leans forward, tears pouring down her cheeks as it all hits her at once. She had lost everything she knew in one fell swoop. She should be feeling lost, scared, and without hope. There was so much swirling around inside her, burning a hole in her chest.

"I'm fine, I promise, nothing hurts…" Iwaizumi slows down at the doorway at this, watching her with some frustration. He wasn't used to coddling, but it wasn't as if he didn't want to. He couldn't imagine what it was like to have so much change in such little time. But he imagined Kotomi was feeling far more than she was ready for.

A grief for what she lost, hope for what she's gained. She felt a deep gratitude for the warmth she felt at a time when she should be frozen, but also an unforgiving guilt for what she left behind chasing that warmth.

"Kotori-san," Akaashi's voice is soothing and gentle as he rubs her back in a circle motion, worried about how her shoulders shudder with the force of the sobs she was holding back. Her abdomen ached and her head groaned. "If you need to cry, you shouldn't hold it back like this. You might reopen your wound"

" I'm sorry…" Kotomi hiccups, hiding her eyes behind clenched fists. "My chest hurts…"

"Is it your ribs, or your lungs?" Kuroo worries over her, his hand trailing down to her shirt, like he wanted to check the site of the injury. Kotomi shakes her head frantically, sobbing out a shaky exhale.

"My heart…it's in so much pain…" It dawned on the rest of them that the pain might not be physical. "I've never felt this much pain before…!" Oikawa throws his arms around her without missing a beat. He presses his lips to the top of her head, stroking her hair affectionately as she wraps her arms around him, hiding her face in his chest.

"Kotori-chan, if you cry and cling to me so cutely, I'll start feeling something too…but it's okay. You don't have to feel such painful things alone. We're with you." Kotomi's eyes widen and she finally parts her lips to sob audibly. Kuroo glances at Ushijima, whose shoulders straighten, as if he's reached a verdict.

"Oikawa." The brunette looks up at a suddenly not so quiet Ushijima, who nods toward the door. Oikawa looks reluctant, but he sighs.

"Bokuto." Bokuto stares at him a moment, confused when Oikawa doesn't follow up with a verbal command. He himself was teary eyed, though he would never admit it. Akaashi sighs and gives Bokuto a shove, allowing Oikawa to move and allowing Kotomi to press her face into the silver haired boy's chest.

He tenses up a moment before tearing up as well, sniffling. Oikawa stands up and heads into the hallways with Ushijima and Iwaizumi, who decides to follow. Ushijima walks ahead, standing so that the three were in a stare down with a few feet in between. Without keeping them in suspense for too long, Ushijima speaks.

"She may stay with your squad at this camp." Oikawa brightens at this, but it only shows in his eyes and the lift in his shoulders, though he crosses them to counteract this display. "But you are entirely responsible for her training, her actions, and any possible threat she may pose."

"Kotori-chan will be a great asset. I've already trained her myself, and she's steadily improving. I would take her out on a mission solely for her hand-to-hand combat skills, as well as her innovative adaptivity in any situation." Oikawa reasons proudly.

"We haven't even taught her how to hold a gun yet." Iwaizumi adds, quite proud of their work on Kotomi.

"Do as you see fit. Just remember that her actions reflect all of you here."

"You won't have to worry about that." Oikawa asserts, a proud grin spreading across his lips as he huffs with pride. "Our Kotori-chan will be great one day! She'll have you on your knees in awe!"

"Alright." Oikawa twitches with irritation as Ushijima heads out the door, his armed guards waiting outside as he left them. Iwaizumi stands next to Oikawa with an incredulous, but relieved expression as the two teens wait in silence for a moment. Finally, Oikawa ruffles his own mess of brown locks in exasperation.

"Can you believe him? He doesn't trust our judgement at all! How could he be so rude to Kotori-chan!?"

"You tried to punch her when you first met."

"Iwa-chan!"

"What did you call her after you guys met? It was something like a 'brute with a pretty face.'"

"But that's part of her charm, too!" Iwaizumi rolls his eyes.

"I'm saying, as annoying as he is, he has a reason to be suspicious of her." Oikawa crosses his arms and huffs childishly now, looking away.

"Fine, whatever! She'll prove him wrong eventually! Let's just go see her, okay?" They head back into the room. Kotomi had fallen asleep again. Oikawa gapes when he spots that Bokuto had shifted her, putting her head in his lap and sitting on the bed while Kotomi slept peacefully, her tears having exhausted what little energy she had after waking up.

"What are you doing!?' The brunette hisses in annoyance, making grabby motions with his fingers.

"S-She didn't want to let go of me and I'm super sore from the mission!" Bokuto whines, but he hardly looked apologetic, his fingers tangled in the unevenly cut locks of dark hair.

"Switch with me now!"

"You'll wake her up. She cried herself to sleep, are you sure you want to wake her?" Akaashi asks innocently.

"Yes! She'll sleep better if it's me!"

"You're such a scummy guy." Kuroo whistles in feigned disbelief. Iwaizumi approaches the slumbering teen, idly brushing away a tear that remained unshed by her eye.

"…Is she really going to be okay?" Iwaizumi asks worriedly. "She's never been out of that place before, right? And now she's here, and it's not exactly the best place for someone to heal from wounds like that."

"It's a wonder she isn't dead." Kuroo mutters, the thought chilling the room a few degrees.

"I don't think that's necessarily true." Oikawa's comedic growling at Bokuto is almost immediately stifled at this question, staring down at the floor, watching the specks of debris brought in from combat boots and heavy footfalls move with the soft breeze coming in from broken windows.

"You think she lied?" Kuroo asks from his position at the foot of Kotomi's bed, leaning lightly against the rails with his back to her.

"Sometimes she has this look about her. She had it right after she got shot. I saw it in her eyes."

"Saw what?" Bokuto asks cluelessly, tilting his head and brow furrowing above curious golden eyes.

"Recognition. Like she recognized what a gunshot felt like. I don't think she lied to us, because I don't think she really remembers her time outside the city."

"She said she came to the city when she was 8, right? That means she was living like us, probably up until then." Kuroo reasons, his lips pursing with disdain at the thought of an 8-year-old Kotomi enduring the kind of poverty and squalor they lived before they joined this group.

"That's why I think she's going to be just fine." Oikawa states confidently. "She has me, and I wouldn't let anything bad happen to her."

"Oi, what about the rest of us? It's not like you took care of her by herself, Shittykawa."

"If I remember correctly," Kuroo counters with a cat-like grin. "It was you two who set up the bomb that nearly blew her to bits, isn't that right?" Both teens deflate at this, heads falling.

"And Iwaizumi punched her in the head that one time!" Bokuto joins in, leaning forward in his eagerness to expose his friends.

"Oikawa tried to genuinely punch her teeth in when they first met."

"Iwa-chan, I told you that in confidenc-ACK!"

"You guys are going to wake her up." Akaashi notes as the bickering starts heating up. Akaashi glances down at the slumbering girl in Bokuto's lap, eyes widening slightly as he notices the upwards curl of her lips, another tear sliding down her cheek. Their eyes meet for a moment, and Kotomi discretely brings a finger to her lips in a hushing motion, before closing her eyes again. Akaashi finds himself smiling as she settles back into his seat.

 _She'll be alright, I think._

* * *

 _ **Omake:**_

The door flies open after 20 minutes of bickering to reveal a beautiful young woman with shiny, silky, jet black hair and icy blue eyes, like the clear waters of a mountain spring hiding behind a pair of glasses. She has a cold, unamused expression as she regards the teens with irritation. Shimizu Kiyoko, a no nonsense, highly respected woman sent from headquarters who filled a number of roles, including managing and relaying the reports they turned in from missions.

"Your friend is resting. If you're going to fight, do it outside. If you don't, I'll hang all of your upside down." She closes the door again _,_ leaving nothing but silence in the room.

"Why did I get scolded, too?' Akaashi asks blankly.

* * *

 **Next Time:**

"You couldn't even be bothered to bring her body back…?"

"Do you realize what you're asking for, Akashi?"

"You guys don't have to go to all the trouble of a party for me…"

"I'll wait until the right time, to confess my feelings to her."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Ooh, dramaa! What does Akashi have planned in the aftermath of Kotomi's 'death?' How will everyone back home handle it? How will Kotomi adjust to life with the Haikyuu boys? So many questions! What do you think is going to happen next? Let me know by leaving comments! Thanks for reading!**

 **Until next time!**

 **-Silky**


	7. Welcome Home (PROLOGUE END)

_**Author's Note: Lots of fluff and healing on Kotomi's part, while Akashi and the others are set up as the villains of the story! Will it last, I wonder? I hope you guys like it! This is actually almost like the end of the prologue. The real plot starts next chapter!**_

 _ **Thanks to**_ _ **KorosuPoison**_ _ **for the follow and**_ _ **CrazyFanGirl48**_ _ **for the favorite! 3**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I only own Kotomi. I just like writing. Please support official releases.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Welcome Home**

Momoi Satsuki wasn't sure what to think when Akashi and the others returned late that night. She was worried by the look in their eyes, but also quite incensed because she had discovered the lock on Kotomi's door. She discovered it when the pink-haired teen went to check on her friend, but when she knocked and received no answer, Momoi reluctantly walked away. She knew better than to approach Kotomi before she was ready to talk, especially when the normally level-headed girl reacted so strongly. So she resolved to wait a day. But her friends returned home earlier than expected, and she realized that a voice of reason like Kuroko might be able to sort everything out.

"There you guys are!" Momoi cries as they walk through the door. She notices that Akashi is missing from the crowd. "Where's Akashi-kun? Did you guys know about Kotomi's door? Akashi-kun put a lock on it!"

At the sound of their childhood friends' name, there's range of reactions, but first all their expressions sour and contort in some unspoken pain that shocks Momoi, as it even registers on Midorima, who is normally careful about his expressions.

"Momoi-san…" Kuroko begins cautiously. Momoi's brows furrow with confusion, then distress.

"You guys knew? That's awful. Kotomi-chan hates being stuck in rooms all day, you know that!' A harsh scoff from Aomine directs her glare at him, but he throws his things to a maid passing by and storms away, hands shoved into his pockets.

"Fuck this. I'm going to bed."

"Dai-chan!" When she receives no response to calling after him, she huffs angrily and puffs out her cheeks. "What's gotten into him?"

"I'm leaving, I feel sick." Murasakibara says, sounding quieter than usual. Midorima leaves without another word, clutching his Lucky Item like a lifeline, even more so than usual.

"Momoicchi…" Even Kise sounded drained, his eyes heavy and a deep sadness marring his normally beautiful face. "Kotomicchi, she…she hasn't been home."

"What? How did she manage to leave? Where is she? Is she hurt?" Momoi feels panic building as she realizes that their moods and Akashi's disappearance might have something to do with Kotomi. Kise's eyes fill with tears and she blinks them away. He takes a deep breath, fighting back whatever emotion was trying to strangle him.

"Sorry…I can't…I have to go." He disappears down the halls with a quick stride, leaving Momoi and Kuroko by themselves in the foyer.

"T-Tetsu-kun, what's going on? Has something happened? Why are you all acting like this?" Momoi asks, walking over to him and pressing her hand to his chest, closing the distance in between them. Kuroko doesn't look at her, but he does place a hand on her back, pressing his face into her shoulder.

Momoi blushes, and normally she would use this as a chance to hug him, but her concern for her troubled best friend overwhelmed her desire to progress in her relationship with her first love.

"Momoi-san…Kotomi-chan…she's…gone." A long moment passes, as if each letter had to sink into her skin before it struck her all at once. Her eyes widen in horror and she pushes him back, taking a few steps back and cradling her heart through her shirt, as it had started pounding.

"Gone?" She echoes, taking a deep, calming breath. "Like, she's gone on a trip? Run away from home?" Kuroko shakes his head, and Momoi's heart begins to sink.

"She snuck out two nights ago. She's been seeing rebels, the group that planted that bomb two years ago, at the tree. She protected them when we encountered them and betrayed us." Momoi's heart freezes now. Those friends Kotomi told her about. The ones she said were harmless. The ones Momoi chose not to investigate.

"She tried to leave with them. They brainwashed her into thinking that we weren't to be trusted. During the struggle," Kuroko's voice cracks at this point, shutting his eyes as if trying to shut out the image of her collapsing, of the puddle of red spilling out from her abdomen. But it was there when he closes his eyes, too.

"No, Tetsu-kun…stop talking…"

"She was shot." Momoi's eyes fill with tears and she covers her face, starting to sob quietly and falling to her knees. Kuroko holds her shoulders, letting her cry into his chest, fighting back his own tears. He had to be strong for her, too. He felt so many things he couldn't share; guilt, grief, anger, betrayal, frustration all swirling inside his chest and threatening to collapse his lungs. And so much regret.

Kuroko was unaware that Momoi was feeling the same thing. Momoi knew that Kotomi had been sneaking out, that she'd been seeing people, but she never thought to ask or check on these people. And now she was dead because of them? It felt like it was only yesterday that they were both laying in bed together with their favorite snacks, chatting about everything under the sun. And now she was supposed to believe that she would never hear Kotomi's voice again?

"We…we should plan the funeral." Momoi whispers, tears running down her cheeks. Her voice waves while she speaks. "Is her body at the morgue…?" It burns to even speak of her like this. Kuroko looks down at the ground, biting his lip.

"They took her body. We don't have it." Momoi pauses again, her eyes widening in disbelief. She stands up, taking a few steps back in pained astonishment. There was just too much to process all at once.

"You…you don't have…her body? We can't even bury her?"

"Aomine-kun said there was no point in trying to get her back-"

"You couldn't even be bothered to bring her body back? Was she still alive when she was shot?"

"They won't be able to keep her alive, not with the conditions out there. We tried to get her-"

"No! You _left_ her!" Momoi sobs, covering her mouth. "You have up on her! She could have made it!" Kuroko grits his teeth and throws his hands on the ground, almost prostrating himself to his friend, tears landing in droplets on the marble floors they all tracked mud on as children. To think that there would be one less pair of footsteps roaming these halls was unthinkable to the both of them.

"I know!" Kuroko suddenly shouts, which surprises her so much that she ceases her crying, watching him with concern as he covers his face. "I know…I know I should have tried harder to get her back. I should have argued with Aomine or gone on my own. There was so much I should I have done, but there's nothing I can do now but move forward!"

"Tetsu-kun…" Kuroko pulls away only momentarily, staring at his hands as if they were some foreign entity.

"I had her in my arms. She had been hurt by a stray grenade. If only I had been a second faster. If only I had held her tighter….what am I even fighting for, if she's not here, anymore?"

Momoi watches him for a long moment, her heart aching for both him and her best friend now. She is still angry at him, at all of them, for leaving their friend to die. But she also felt guilt in that as well. She should have been more concerned about Kotomi sneaking off on her own. Momoi knew that the absence of their friends left Kotomi feeling vulnerable, so she should have suspected that she was more susceptible to opening up to someone else. Perhaps if she had seen it coming, or if she had investigated her newfound friends, Kotomi would still be with them.

And as selfish as it was, she couldn't bring herself to admit that blame before the man she loved. The fear that he might find fault in her, or the fear that she might make him feel worse stifles the truth in her throat. So Momoi takes a deep breath, cups Kuroko's cheek, and smiles comfortingly.

"I…let's get through this together, Tetsu-kun. We can still hold a memorial service for her, right?" Kuroko looks up at her, and he nods after a moment, wrapping his arms around her again.

"Thank you, Momoi-san…" Momoi purses her lips, feeling worse than before but enjoying his embrace. They could only move forward, right? There was no bringing the dead back. They could mourn her. Some people didn't even have that much. That was the cruel reality of this world. It was bound to catch up with them, no matter how many days they spent underneath that plum tree. So Momoi resolves herself to stand beside Aomine. To stand behind Kuroko. Because if they were all she had left, she had to hold on whatever she could. So she couldn't condemn him. Not any of them.

 _I'm sorry, Koto-chan…so sorry…._

* * *

Kotomi finds herself sitting on the edge of the bed, legs hanging over the side as she wiggles her toes and tests out the ground. She presses her toes against the gritty, uneven floors of the derelict hotel-turned hideout, pursing her lips. She isn't quite sure how much of her body was affected by her various injuries, but she hopes that she could be on her feet soon. Being so still and indoors made her anxious, especially since she felt that she was imposing on Oikawa and his comrades.

Ushijima expected her to become part of this army, which meant she had to work and earn her place soon. There is not time to be sitting around playing victim. Gingerly, she places her feet on the ground, inch by inch slipping her body off the bed into a standing position.

Her burns still sting in protest, but the pain is bearable. And her wound is probably the worst off, threatening to topple her if she moves too fast. But she could move, and that's the most important thing. Kotomi's eyes fly toward the door as it suddenly slides open. In steps a beautiful young bespectacled woman with shiny black hair and eyes an icy blue color, more vibrant and purer than Kotomi's. It reminded Kotomi of spring water in a painting she's seen in Akashi's house.

The young woman's gaze meets Kotomi, her mouth opening in a small 'o' of surprise, and Kotomi is drawn toward a beauty mark by her lips, which Kotomi finds herself envying just ever so slightly.

"You don't have to get up now, there's no rush." Kotomi is so busy admiring the young woman, that she almost forgets to answer until the girl tilts her head, which finally brings Kotomi back to reality.

"I'm better now, thank you for your concern. Your name was…Shimizu-san, isn't that right?" She nods, her expression fairly impassive, but without any kind of caution or malice.

"That's right, I'm sorry that the boys were so noisy around you. I hope you were able to rest some after I kicked them out."

"Well, it was a little less lonely when they were around, at least…" Kotomi covers her mouth to giggle, which seems to relax the other teen.

"You haven't even met everyone yet."

"I'm sure it's even better, though I won't get a wink of sleep when I'm around them."

"Would you like to meet the rest, then? It's about time for them to get out of training, we can introduce you as they're coming in." She offers a hand, which causes Kotomi to smile and nod. She takes her hand, only hesitating a moment. Kotomi takes a few testing steps, her abdomen aching, but not crippling her body. They walk together through the halls, and Kotomi has the chance to examine her surroundings. Most of the rooms look similar to her own, containing empty beds with dirty blankets and that decaying wallpaper.

"It's not much," Kiyoko admits, "But we're a relatively new organization."

"How long have you guys been in operation?"

"Only about 3 years. We were just starting out when we arrived at this base." Kotomi realizes that she must have met Oikawa when it was just starting out. What had their lives been like before then?

"Ushiwaka-san's family is funding the exposition here."

"Ushiwaka…?"

"Ushijima Wakatoshi. We call him Ushiwaka for short. I hope he didn't intimidate you too much." Kotomi thinks back to her interaction with the young man, but she found him about as imposing as any Akashi business partner she's seen within the manor. In fact, he seemed more trustworthy, even candid.

"He was…intense." Kiyoko's hand immediately goes to her mouth, probably to hide a laugh.

"That's what he gets a lot."

"He was interesting, though."

" That's good you think so. He liked you, I think."

"You can tell…?" Kiyoko giggles at Kotomi's clueless expression, glancing back at her. It calms Kotomi down, and she finds herself smiling softly.

"You learn, after working close to him. I don't think he would have let you stay if he didn't like you, or if he thought you weren't worth giving a chance to." Kotomi shudders to think what could have happened if he hadn't liked her.

'I don't think I said much to impress him, though…" Kotomi shrugs it off for now. She was out of the woods with him, so she didn't have to think too hard on the matter.

"it might not be what you said, but how you acted when faced with him. You're supposed to be an enemy, after all, but now you're looking to be our ally. Perhaps he thinks your potential as an ally outweighs your potential as an enemy." The cornflower-eyed teen's lips fall into a frown, and she looks at the ground. Kiyoko glances back at her again.

"Sorry, it's a bit early to be talking like that now, isn't it?"

"No, it's alright. I'm happy to be here, and I want to be able to help. I understand I don't have the liberty of sitting around and feeling sorry for my situation. I am fortunate to be able to stay here." They arrive in the lobby of the old hotel, which has been converted into a cafeteria/lounge, with the remains of a restaurant acting as a kitchen. There were other young women and two older men working there, putting out giant vats of curry and rice and soup. They were headed by a young woman with a rounded, bright blonde blonde bob cut, though its color seemed more artificial than Kise's golden locks. She had sharp features and a curvy figure. Her eyes shoot up to them, and she grins amicably and waves.

"Oi, Kiyoko-chan! Who's this with ya!?" Kiyoko walks toward the kitchen and nods for Kotomi to follow her.

"She's Oikawa's friend." Movement in the kitchen stops and Kotomi finds all eyes on her. Did everyone know about her? How much did they know? Were they going to give her a hard time? But the woman seems unperturbed, and she looks Kotomi up and down with a gaping mouth.

"Holy shit! So you're the city chick they went to so much trouble to kidnap!? Those dumbasses couldn't even bring you back in one piece!" Kotomi is taken aback by her vulgarity, but she doesn't have much time to process her words, before a tray of food is pushed into her hands.

"Tell me sooner, Kiyoko-chan! I would have made a little extra! You need to eat to heal from those wounds! My name's Saeko! Call me Saeko-nee, got it kid? What's your name?" Kotomi feels a little dizzy from all the talking. So much energy…

"Fujisaki Kotomi…thank you very much." She was relieved that she was so friendly, at least. She glances at the kitchen. The two older men, who seemed to be in charge of delegating portions and ingredients, glance at her and give small, polite nods before getting to work. Kiyoko takes her into the cafeteria again, where other girls were placing the same set up of food as Kotomi had on her tray. Saeko waves to them from the kitchen, grinning happily before disappearing from the window.

"She's pushy, but a good person." Kiyoko insists, to which Kotomi smiles and nods silently. Kotomi feels an odd sensation building in her throat as she sits down staring down at the meal before her. But that feeling doesn't have a chance to develop fully. The doors to the hotel open and young men flood into the room, all eyes falling on her as they take their seats in the table. Some are cautious, some are friendly, and some are in awe, and only Kiyoko knows why.

There weren't many females in this sector in particular, for no discernable reason. And Kotomi was not only female, but an incredibly pretty female. Even with her hair hanging in uneven portions from when she sliced through her own hair, bags under her eyes from an exhaustive sleep, and burns and scratches scattering her skin from the injuries she sustained, she was remarkably eye-catching. A familiar voice makes her perk up, and her eyes fall on the brunette approaching the table she sat at.

"Shimizu-chan, why did you let her out of bed? Is she okay to be walking around like this?" Oikawa asks worriedly, earning incredulous looks from the little posse of young men entering with him. Iwaizumi is among the posse, though he ignores Oikawa in favor of sitting across from Kotomi, offering a small nod.

"She was getting restless." Kiyoko says simply. "A good emotional and mental state is important for healing, as well."

"Shimizu-san is right." Kotomi agrees, though Oikawa simply gives her a look of exasperation. He steps forward, fully intending to sit beside her, but two bodies immediately occupy themselves on either side of Kotomi, sandwiching her in between a rowdy Bokuto and Kuroo, though they take care not to touch her. They were all in their training outfits, black tanktops and grey cargo pants tucked into combat boots. They were smeared with mud and dirt and they smelled like the earth after its rained.

"If you really wanted to come and see us so badly, little bird, you could have just asked me to carry you." Kuroo purrs, grinning as per usual.

"Oi." Oikawa growls a little, but Bokuto leans toward Kotomi, grinning with his usual wild energy.

"Already walking around? You okay enough to walk?" Kotomi smiles a little, laughing at his bouncy disposition.

"Unfortunately not, sleeping without your lap is just impossible, Bokuto-san." Kotomi gives him a teasing curl of her lips. Bokuto's face turns bright red, and he looks away, squawking nervously. Kuroo laughs and pokes at his friends' face while Iwaizumi rolls his eyes, though he looks slightly irritated. Oikawa feels a vein pop in his temple as he fights the urge to strangle the owl. He wants to throw his arms around Kotomi and cuddle up to her, but he isn't sure how injured she still is. But she seemed happy, and that seemed to be enough for him. He takes a seat next to Iwaizumi, not eating right away, mostly because of the crowd that begins to surround Kotomi.

"Hello," greets a handsome young man with a beauty mark by his right eye, silver hair, and warm brown eyes. He had a soft and motherly look to him. Kotomi feels gravitated toward him, but she only offers a polite nod. "I'm Sugawara. You're the little bird everyone's been talking about, aren't you?"

"That nickname is a little embarrassing…" Kotomi laughs, waving a hand dismissively. "Please, you can just call me Kotomi."

"Really? I will, then! It's nice to meet you, Kotomi-chan."

"You as well, Suguwara-san."

"Oh! You beat us to it, Suga." A handsome teen with a chiseled jawline, a dark crew cut and tanned skin approaches, with a taller brunette with long hair tailing behind him. He seems the most reserved, making eye contact with Kotomi before his eyes dart away. But the dark-haired boy offers Kotomi a hand. He squeezes her smaller, paler hand in his own. His touch is warm and snug, which makes Kotomi feel a little more welcome.

"Hello," Kotomi says, earning a smile from the more outgoing teen.

"My name is Sawamura, and this scary looking guy is Asahi."

"Daichi!" The brunette whines unhappily. "Don't make her scared of me!"

"You do that on your own, Asahi." Suguwara teases before he grins at Kotomi. "Don't worry, he's harmless. You could probably beat him, Kotomi-chan."

"Oh, no, I don't think-"

"No, I think anyone could beat him." Daichi touches her shoulder, earning a shocked gasp from Oikawa immediately resulting in a pained cry from Iwaizumi.

"Quit being a jealous kid." He scolds, to which Oikawa responds with a glare.

"I'm not!"

"You're so possessive, Gorilla-chan…" Kuroo teases, dodging a spoon thrown his way. Kotomi blinks a few times upon hearing that nickname again.

"Why do you keep calling him Gorilla?"

"Don't answer that question!"

"Because he fights some kind of territorial animal." Iwaizumi deadpans, and Kotomi responds by nodding in understanding.

"It fits."

"You're so cruel, Kotori-chan! I thought we had a connection!" Oikawa flings himself at her, but Iwaizumi throws his arm out to block his path, snarling angrily.

"Don't bother her, she's still wounded, Shittykawa!"

" _Kiyoko-san!"_ The previously quiet young woman tenses and immediately gets out of her seat as Kotomi sees two blurs run at the researcher. Her hands immediately fly out to stop two more teens from tackling her. Kotomi jumps at their sudden appearance, looking around as she tries to deduce just where in the world they had come from. The taller, boy looks a lot like Saeko, but with a shaved head. The other was much shorter, a dark-haired boy with spikey hair and intense dark eyes, and a patch of blonde hair whose strands fell on the bridge of his nose. As Kiyoko holds them both at bay, they seem quite happy to even be in contact with her, even as she begins to scold them.

"Tanaka! Nishinoya! Don't be so careless. We have an injured girl." Kiyoko chides, hitting them both on the forehead. They both cry out in apparent bliss, falling back, hands folded in prayer. They looked like Buddhas.

"Kiyoko-san hit us."

"She touched our heads." Kuroo puts an arm around a bewildered Kotomi. No one seemed particularly concerned.

"Try not to stare at them for too long, little bird. Their weird is contagious." Kuroo blinks when he spots a familiar young man with blonde hair fading into its natural black color, waving down his childhood friend.

"Oi, Kenma!" The blonde looks up, and Kotomi finds herself looking at him again. There were so many pretty people here. Even if he was hunched over, his golden eyes though averted and downcast, were quite intense and beautiful. If Kuroo was the wild, sly alley cat, then his friend was the timid, pretty, but elusive house feline. She doesn't get to admire for long. The young man bows and runs off, grabbing his tray before he does.

"Hey! Don't run!" Kuroo sighs, shrugging his shoulders as if it couldn't be helped. "He's shy, don't take it personally." And Kotomi didn't. How could she? These people were far friendlier than she expected them to be, especially considering who she is. Kuroo glances down at her, his cattish expression softening into something more vulnerable, almost. "Hey, little bird-"

"If it's alright with you, Kotomi-san, since you're new, we'd like to welcome you at a little party tonight." Daichi interrupts Kuroo's lead in, though the messy-haired teen doesn't seem too devastated, slowly pulling his arms away from her. Kotomi's eyes widen and her shoulders tense up as she opens her mouth to protest, but Oikawa quickly shoves a piece of bread into her mouth to stop her with a grin.

"Don't even try, Kotori-chan! We went to so much trouble to capture you, after all, we get to decide how to welcome you."

"Besides, once you're all healed up, it's back to training. So enjoy it while it lasts." Iwaizumi adds in between bites, looking at her with a small grin. Kotomi finds the corners of her mouth turning upwards. She pulls the bread out of her mouth and chucks it playfully at the brunette. Oikawa moves to take a bite, but Iwaizumi smacks the morsel out of his mouth. Kiyoko touches Kotomi's hair with a gentle hand, running her fingers through the slightly singed ends.

"Kotomi-chan, why don't I cut your hair, tomorrow? It's quite uneven." Kotomi blinks, having forgotten about her hair. Her side pony tail was gone. Chunks of her hair were still as long as her lower back, but more than half of her hair was about the length of her shoulders now.

"Pleased do, thank you, Shimizu-san."  
"Call me Kiyoko."

"Oh, I don't…"

"It's fine, we're the same age after all. You don't need to be too proper, so don't worry…"

"It's not that, I just…" Calling people by their first names was reserved for _them…_ Her face falls as she looks down at her lap. "No, it's nothing…"

"I wanna call Komi-chan by her first name, too!"

"Bokuto-san, you already have a nickname for her." Oikawa shoots up suddenly, pointing at Kotomi as If she's done something wrong.

"Kotomi! Don't you dare get too familiar with anyone before me, _I'm_ your best friend, got it!?"

"When was that decided?" Kuroo asks in slightly annoyance, though he's too lazy to provide explicit objection.

"Don't make such stupid proclamations, Shithead."

"Tell them all I'm right, Kotomi!"

"I…"

"Sensei, the Gorilla is pounding his chest again~"

"Don't call me gorilla!"

"Oh, he's mad!" A couple of other young men call from across the table, earning more protests from Oikawa as he shifts his focus. Kotomi watches as chaos unfolds. At some point, a plate of vegetables is thrown at Oikawa. The young man dodges it, but it flies behind him and nails Kotomi dead center in the face, sticking there for a long moment. The room falls silent. Then…

 _ **"UWAAAHHHHHHHHH!"**_ Collective screams, the loudest being Kuroo, Bokuto, Oikawa, and Asahi, for some strange reason.

"Oikawa, you bastard!"

"I didn't throw it!"

"Take your greens like a man, you damn gorilla!"

"Look, she's so upset, she's crying!" Oikawa turns to Kotomi, whose shoulders are shaking as she slowly reaches up and removes the plate from her face, strands of lettuce, tomato, and dressing sticking to almost every inch of her skin. Oikawa swallows hard, remembering how terrifying she gets with things like this.

"K-Kotori-chan…I…"

"Pfft!" The mood shifts into something light and fluffy as they finally catch a glimpse of Kotomi's face. Her eyes are shut, cheeks pink, and lips turned up in a grin, one she covers with a hand. Her eyes moisten as she giggles, laughing so hard no sound escaped her throat at first, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. After covering her eyes with her hands, she finds herself grinning right back at them, cheeks pink and nose crinkling slightly at the bridge. Her laughter seems contagious, as a few others join in, some in relief, some simply because the mood is right. Kotomi looks around as the room returns to a busy chattering, though laughing still echoes all around, even as Kiyoko helps Kotomi shed the vegetables from her cheeks. Oikawa finds himself smiling with her, and his eyes warm when they make contact with Kotomi's gaze.

"You look better when you smile, Kotori-chan." Kotomi nods in agreement, giggling again as she tries to expel all the laughter from her lungs.

"You're right. Thank you."

* * *

" _Bokuto, take my share of meat, you damn owl!"_ Owl and alley-cat face off, swiping and hissing at each other. Despite the excitement earlier, Daichi decided the fun didn't have to stop there. People rotated turns cooking meat on portable grills stolen from the city. Meat, vegetables, and other perishables had to be cooked immediately. It was a monthly treat for the rebels, and Kotomi appeared at an auspicious time.

"Mphhg hghsf ishyful!"

"I can't understand a word you're saying!"

"Bokuto-san don't speak with you mouth full. You'll choke." Akaashi speaks calmly as he watches his friend inevitably begin to hack and cough. Kotomi laughs a little but looks a little disgusted when Bokuto coughs up the meat he had swiped from right under Kuroo's nose in a nasty pile of chewed up beef. Oikawa, who has been clinging to Kotomi's side since this afternoon, ignores the chaos in front of them, holding up a spoon of soup to Kotomi's lips.

"Kotori-chan, you need to eat more!"

"I can feed myself, Oikawa-kun…"

"You're embarrassing her, Shittykawa." Iwaizumi deadpans. He too had hardly left Kotomi's side since lunchtime today.

"Then, you can feed me!" Kotomi sighs and picks up a napkin, tapping away excess crumbs from the corner of his mouth with the disapproving tone of a mother with her uncooperative child.

"You're not even getting any food into your mouth. What's gotten into you? You're acting like a baby." Oikawa's expression softens into a more mature, conscious kind of gaze. He takes her hand and squeezes it gently, running his fingers over the pulse of her wrist. His hand lingers there, as if trying to convince himself that her heart still beat.

"I'm just…really happy you got out of there. Before it got bad." One of his hands runs through dark locks and playing with the split ends of her hair. "And…I was really scared." Kotomi smiles a little and looks down, feeling a sharp ache in her chest and in her stomach as the events just days ago replay in her head, like a bad movie in flashes. With a deep breath, Kotomi nods in agreement.

"Me too. But I'm glad you came for me. And I'm glad I'm here." Kotomi's eyes close in relaxation. Oikawa watches her with a kind of lazy intensity, leaning in slowly with his gaze set on rosy lips turned up in content.

 _Clink!_

"Sorry." Iwaizumi immediately leans over to use a napkin to mop up the spilled water glass, shoving his arm in between Oikawa and Kotomi. The latter immediately moves in to help, missing the tense but wordless exchange between childhood friends. Oikawa sits back, taking a deep breath and yawning.

"Ahhh! I think I'm going to get some fresh air! I'll be back!" Iwaizumi doesn't miss a beat, getting up. Kotomi looks up at both of them, blinking cluelessly.

"Are you guys okay?" Iwaizumi places a hand on her head, ruffling her hair affectionately.

"We'll be back, just sit tight and eat." The two teens walk away side by side, leaving Kotomi to nibble at some meat while in thought.

"Hey!" Kotomi glances up at Nishinoya, who is flanked by Tanaka. They both peer at her with bright, expectant, expressions. Nishinoya's intense, gold-colored eyes makes Kotomi shrink a little as she tilts her head.

"H-Hello…?"

"What's it like?"

"What's…"

"Kiyoko-san treated your wounds, what's it like?" Their eyes shine with such curiosity, but Kotomi starts to understand why Kiyoko seemed so stern with their infatuation of her.

"She's very kind. But firm. I think those are good qualities to have in a medic."

"Kiyoko-san isn't our medic," Tanaka explains, grinning proudly and gesturing to the young woman who is eating beside who Kotomi believes in Ennoshita. "She's our supervisor!"

"Since we don't have a medic, she does what she can since she got here a year ago. Isn't she so kind?"

"No medic…?" Kotomi purses her lips, remembering how Oikawa came to her when Iwaizumi was hurt. She thought it was because they wouldn't have made it home in time, but perhaps it was because there was no one who would have been able to help.

"But you're a medic, aren't you? Maybe you could help her out!"

"Ohh, Ryu, you're so smart!" Kotomi finds herself looking down at her hands, taking a deep breath in silent relief. She could still help. Could still heal. But it wasn't for who she thought it would be.

"Oi, Fujisaki?"

"Sorry, I'm going to get some air." Kotomi stands up, her abdomen aching a little as she waves at the both of them, walking off. Her busy mind has her wandering aimlessly. She finds herself outside the hotel, staring out at the horizon while holding her side. So much has happened, she hardly had any time to process that she's really gone from her home. Would they come after her? Her heart ached as she thought of her friends back home, as she recalled their faces when she had been shot.

 _They really just wanted to protect me._ Even so, it still didn't seem right to stay by their side. That she didn't regret. Not one bit. To regret leaving them would mean she regretted coming to the side of Oikawa and the others, and that didn't feel right either.

"Little bird?" Kotomi whips around to see the lanky teen with a messy head of dark locks standing behind her.

"Kuroo-kun, you're done beating up Bokuto?" Thin shoulders shrug upwards as he sighs, walking over to stand beside her.

"I'll just get him back when we go to training tomorrow. Shove a bunch of anchovies in his mouth. Fish is good for that empty brain of his."

"Why anchovies?"

"Because he hates them and there's fish oil in them."

"Ah, fish oil has an acid that's good for your brain, right?"

"Docosahexaenoic Acid." Kotomi turns to Kuroo, eyes wide. He turns his nose up, arms crossed and nose sniffing the air triumphantly. He's trying to seem nonchalant about his obvious attempt to impress her, causing Kotomi to raise a brow in incredulity.

"I can't even begin to pronounce that properly."

"I can teach you." His expression softens a little, and he reaches down put a hand on her head, stroking her hair affectionately. "We don't have to part ways anymore, after all. There's lots of time to talk about all kinds of things." He isn't surprised when her expression falters, though he takes no offense with it. Kuroo rubs the back of his head with his other hand.

"I guess it's a lot easier said than done. You left a lot behind, after all. I wanted to tell you earlier, but I want you to be able to talk to me about how you're feeling."

"I'm fine."

"We all know that's not true. And to be honest, I would be a little nervous if you didn't feel anything about leaving. That place was your home, after all. They were your family, even if they're our enemies." Kotomi bites her lip, cursing the teen a little bit for being more observant than she originally suspected about him than when they first met. She knew right away he was no idiot, but since they were such close friends, she assumed Kuroo was a lot like Bokuto. It didn't occur to her at all that maybe Kuroo was a perfect fit for Bokuto not because they're similar, but because they're so different. Kuroo doesn't even need to talk to Bokuto to understand him. When did it become the same for her? He didn't need her to talk, but he understood her well enough to know that _she_ needed to talk to someone.

"Fair enough. I'm not sure how I'm feeling now, to be honest. I'm just trying to make sense of it all in my head."

"You don't have it all now. I just want you to know that we welcome you here. I won't say we'll be your new family, but that doesn't mean that such a thing is impossible." Kotomi's gaze finds the horizon again, as the sun is beginning to set, muting the horizon and their figures in a harmonious sunset of yellows and oranges dying the everything the light touched.

" For now, I'm just glad to be here. "

"We're all glad you're here too. And we…I hope you'll stay." Kotomi chuckles to herself wryly, pushing some hair behind her ear.

"It isn't as if I have some place to run off to, after all." Kuroo shrugs.

"Bokuto gets pretty annoying. Oikawa, too. It looked like Nishinoya and Tanaka were about to induct you into their weird little Kiyoko cult. Those guys share about 4 braincells between the two of them and three of them are for breathing _."_ Kotomi coughs to disguise her inadvertent laugh, but it melts into a genuine one moment later as she give him a light shove.

"That's so rude." She turns way to hide her face, unaware of his admiring gaze, which melts further into something of a warm, but nervous expression. "But that just means I have my work cut out for me, as a medic. If it's anything like healing you guys…well, you know I love a challenge."

"Little bird," This time, there's no distraction as Kuroo takes Kotomi by her wrists, pulling her closer to him. Kotomi looks up at him, tilting her head and blushing slightly at the proximity. Kuroo tries not to make a face, cheeks burning.

"Kuroo-kun, are you okay? You look a little uncomfortable…"

"Shit." Not exactly the image he wanted to show to her. But in all honesty, he wasn't sure how to do this, just yet. He hardly had any contact with any females except for Kiyoko, who was constantly guarded by her little fan club all the time.

"Shit…?"

"I…I just…" Kuroo shakes his head, as if changing up what he's about to say. Suddenly, he puts his arms around Kotomi's waist and pulls her close, trapping her in a sudden, but far from unwelcome embrace. Kotomi blushes out of embarrassment. His warm, spicy scent calms her shock, and she laughs a little, nuzzling him.

"What's gotten into all of you?"

"No idea what you're talking about." Kuroo is grateful his nerves are completely masked by his cheeky tone, and he holds a hand over her head, so she can't pull away and see how red his cheeks were. He had been waiting to do this since she opened her eyes. She didn't even realize the impact she had on all of their lives, and how scared they had all been to lose her. "Let me be your shoulder to cry on, little bird~" Despite his joking tone, he meant it; even if Kotomi wouldn't take the offer. He feels small, but warm palms find purchase on his back as she returns the hug. Kuroo can't help but revel in the feeling of how the contours of her small frame seemed to fit perfectly with his.

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?" Kuroo twitches as he looks up and meets the unamused gaze of an annoyed Oikawa, who raises a brow at their position. Kuroo slowly lets go, scratching the back of his messy head and smiles down at Kotomi.

" No. I'm gonna head back in."

"Thank you, Kuroo-kun." The dark-haired teen waves and walks off, not before exchanging a pointed look with Oikawa. Once they're alone, Oikawa walks over and sighs, running a frustrated hand through his hair before letting it fall again.

"You really are troublesome." Kotomi looks clueless at the sudden accusation, brow furrowing. She huffs and puffs her chest out a little, crossing her arms.

"I don't even know what I did."

"That's the problem."

"The problem is your mood swings. Where's Iwaizumi-kun?"

"Don't worry about that, he's around. You have plenty of time to see him, now." Oikawa pouts a little and looks away, rubbing under his nose with his index finger. "It kinda annoys me. We were friends first, before everyone else. But it feels like I'm constantly fighting for your attention." Kotomi rolls her eyes a bit.

"You really are a territorial animal."

"You're so mean!" Kotomi shakes her head with a smile, taking his hand in both of hers and squeezing it tightly.

"But…if it will make you grow up a little...you introduced me to a world I didn't know I was curious about. You taught me to fight, and you gave me courage when my heart wavered. Of course everyone else is wonderful, but you started it all. Because you chose to raise your fist against me that time. So, don't worry about me not giving you attention. You'll always be a part of me."

Oikawa's eyes are wet by the time she's finished, and he opens his mouth. The words he's wanted to say for the last year or so threaten to make themselves known.

 _I want to kiss you. I like you. I like you so much, it's crazy._ Oikawa bites his lip as Kotomi steps back, cheeks pink in embarrassment from such an admission, but she tries to shrug it off, turning towards the hotel again.

"I'm getting kind of hungry. Promise that you'll stop being all crazy?" Oikawa forces a smile on his lips.

"No promises." Kotomi giggles and heads back inside, waving to a waiting Iwaizumi, who walks out to stand by his friend, hands shoved in his jacket pockets. Oikawa looks up at the sky, now littered with stars and clouds, with only the dim lights of the dingy hotel to illuminate the pitch-black night.

"I thought you were going to tell her. Kuroo might beat you to it, and this rate."

"He almost did, but he didn't."

"Because you know she's not in the place to accept what you have to tell her?"

"Because she needs time. She's still hurt, damaged. I won't burden her anymore than those assholes already have."

"It's good she's tempering that shit personality of yours." Oikawa only chuckles.

"I'll wait until the right time, to confess my feelings for her. When she's happy and healthy again. Then I'll make sure she never cries again." Iwaizumi huffs, smirking.

"I'll be sure to give my all, too." Oikawa looks to his best friend, eyes glinting with something intense, before it melts into his goofy, childish whine.

"Iwa-chan, you can't even get a girlfriend, you can't compete-"

 _ **WHACK.**_

* * *

"Do you realize what you're asking for, Akashi?" Nijimura stares down the heterochromatic teen with an incredulous glare. His General pin sits shiny and new on his lapel, glinting softly in the back drop of the camp tent just outside of the city.

"I do."

"Give me one good reason why."

"It will minimize the losses we sustained today in the future."

"Or give our enemies a chance to surround us. You want us to pull back from our camps? To invalidate the death of every soldier that gave up their lives to secure them?"

"The city was attacked twice now. The citizens here are non-combatant. They're helpless. It's out duty to ensure their safety and the city's progression."

"And you think a handful satellite teams surrounding the perimeter is enough to hold off rebels that escaped from _you?"_ If Akashi is perturbed by the blame in Nijimura's voice, he doesn't show it.

"Elite teams to protect the perimeters, while the border is reinforced by the soldiers pulling back. Once we've settled, the elite teams will have been in their respective regions for a year or so. They'll know the areas, and our teams will be even with the rebels in terms of turf knowledge."

"Then, the teams 'search and destroy' every rebel hideout they come across." Nijimura leans back in thought, genuinely considering his offer. Granted, it was not the path General Shirogane envisioned before he took ill, but it wasn't a bad idea.

"I will allow a trial run for this year and this year only. Get a team together. You'll have a year to produce results. If you can wipe out a rebel hideout, then I will allow deployment of the satellite teams."

"Yes, sir." Akashi bows respectfully at the waist and turns to leave, but Nijimura isn't quite finished talking yet.

"Akashi. I heard about your friend." This stops the crimson red heir in his tracks. He doesn't turn to face his superior when he speaks.

"It was quite the blow, yet we can do nothing but move on…but thank you for your concern. This will not affect our performance in the least."

"I think it's important that you address grief before it buries itself too deep. You're all so young, and this death was-"

"Kotomi was manipulated by enemies who snuck into the city. They're the reason she died the way she did. And I won't let anyone suffer the same way she did, nor will I allow any family to be torn apart, either." Nijimura raises a brow as the golden color of his eye seems to intensify, as if a fire was igniting behind his mild-mannered façade.

"So this is revenge?"

"It's progress. At this rate, we'll be overrun. Replenishing soldiers isn't enough. It's inefficient, and I am merely doing my part as part of this army. I won't fail, it's not possible for me to fail, because I am absolute." Nijimura looks quite confused, but Akashi is out the door before he can question it.

 _Has he always been so intense…?_

Akashi returns home, handing his things to the servants and heading for his room. With the trial run approved, there wasn't much time to rest. With Kuroko and the rest still holing themselves up in their rooms, he couldn't bring them on such an important mission.

"No matter." Akashi says to no one in particular, pulling out a roster gathered by Momoi containing the statistics of the other soldiers. He had his eyes on a team already. Everyone else would join at a later date, since he knew that once grief subsided, their revenge would drive them to bloodlust for those responsible for Kotomi's death. They would join him, soon. But for now…

"Thank you for waiting." Akashi says politely as the doors open to the dining room. Four heads turn to look at him.

"My, what could _the_ Akashi Seijuro want with us?"

Mibuchi Reo.

"I want you four to assist me with a new mission."

"Does it pay? Will you pay us? This place is huge! I want a house just like this someday!"

Hayama Kotaro.

"Never mind that, I could go for some meat. I'd be okay, as long as I get to eat a whole lot. Those portions are too small in the cafeteria, I could lose muscle mass. "

Nebuya Eikichi.

"Whatever it is, I'm not interested…"

Mayuzumi Chihiro.

Four top scorers in the squad of soldiers a year before them. While the first three were similar in talent and success on the battlefield to Akashi and his friends, they lacked a proper leadership. The fourth young man didn't have any outstanding stats, but he did remind Akashi of a certain phantom assassin, but with more potential. Akashi feels his fingers twitch to reach into his pocket, knowing that a certain red little charm sat inside waiting to comfort him as he began the briefing. This was the beginning the of the end. Akashi's lips turn up in a smile, one lacking warmth and kindness, the kind that send chills down the back of anyone there to witness it. The visitors quiet down as Akashi raises an open hand, closing it slowly into a fist.

"I want to offer you a chance to be great. A chance to change life as we know it. A chance to pave the way for a brighter future for all of us."

 _Kotomi, I promise you…no one else will die in our family. I'll keep my promise to you. Anyone who dares stand in the way of the future you dreamt of will be shown no mercy._

"We're going to wipe out the rebels."

* * *

Kotomi isn't sure when it happened, but she had fallen asleep at the table and woken up in bed in the infirmary again. She could see the moon through the tattered windows across from her bed. She looks to her right side, spotting a sleeping Oikawa holding her hand as he slept beside her.

"You okay?" Kotomi looks to her left now, spotting Iwaizumi cleaning his gun at the table in the corner. He abandons his project to walk up to Kotomi, taking the seat on her other side. She notices in the far corner of the room, Bokuto and Kuroo lay sleeping on the couch, using each other to prop themselves up, while Akaashi slept on the floor, a pillow behind his head and a blanket draped over him. Kotomi looks back to Iwaizumi.

"I'm fine, but…why is everyone sleeping in here? Isn't it uncomfortable?"

"I don't think they really meant to. We all came in here because you seemed uncomfortable outside, and these idiots wore themselves out." Kotomi giggles. Iwaizumi's eyes travel to Kotomi's abdomen, a question gnawing at his bottom lip in the form of his own teeth.

"You worried it's going to scar?" Kotomi pauses to think for a moment, but then she shrugs.

"Not really. It's proof I'm alive." This time, Kotomi's eyes land on Iwaizumi's stomach. She reaches up to place a palm on the spot she stitched him up all those years ago.

"Did this leave a bad scar?"

"It could have been much worse. I didn't ever thank you properly for saving me. Even though you knew we were supposed to be our enemy."

"I don't think life is really that black and white…we're all trying to survive, that's all. Survive and protect. You being an enemy didn't mean anything for me at that time. I just wanted you to live, that's all." Kotomi shakes her head a little as Iwaizumi's expression turns thoughtful. When he speaks again, it's much softer than his normal voice, which is still kind, but a little rougher.

"We'll probably run into them again, someday." Kotomi nods absentmindedly.

"It's not something I want to consider right now, but I'm aware it's inevitable."

"Will you return to their side?"

"I don't know."

"I think you belong here, with us. But I know you well enough you can't be tamed, as proper as you seem." Kotomi turns pink at his light teasing, and she puffs a single cheek out slightly, obviously not happy with the insinuation.

"Don't start calling me a gorilla, too."

"Want to be an owl or a cat?"

"No." Iwaizumi smirks a little, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall, turning his nose to the air to feign deep thinking.

"A hummingbird, then."

"Again with that?"

"We already call you a little bird, I'm just specifying now."

"Why a hummingbird, though?" Iwaizumi ruffles her hair as he tells her, the fond expression clear as day, softening his normally angular features.

"Because you're small, but it seems like no one can keep up with you." Kotomi's cheeks turn a deeper shade of pink.

"Call me what you wish…"

"I planned to."

"You're just as bad as Oikawa, sometimes."

"You're healed enough that I can smack you. Don't compare me to that creep." After a moment of silence, the two share a single snicker at their own shenanigans.

"I'm going to bed, now."

"Goodnight, Iwaizumi-kun…sleep well. I'll see you tomorrow." Iwaizumi cleans up and heads for the door, stopping at the door way before he looks back at Kotomi with a smile that has her heart skipping a beat.

"Welcome home, Kotomi." Her heart warms at the gesture. She brings her free hand, the one not occupied by Oikawa's, to her chest as it flutters happily. How could she be so unfortunate to lose her home, and find another in the same week? Kotomi feel her heart tighten and her eyes begin to sting, but she feels fingers curl around hers.

"Kotori-chan…" Oikawa murmurs in his sleep, nuzzling her blanket, and she feels her worries melt away as she finds herself smiling, her free hand running through his brown locks again as she settles back into bed. Perhaps she shouldn't be questioning such blessings. She had a new home, and that was already more than others could say. Her heart still ached for her old friends, for her old life, and for her dream to fight beside them.

 _"Live on, Kotomi. Choose your fate with your own hands."_ A familiar, but welcome voice reverberates through her as her eyelids flutter with the return of sleep. It comforts her in her resolve to do what she could to protect her friends and her home.

 _"Live on, no matter what."_

No matter what.

 **-Six years later…PROLOGUE END-**

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: We are hitting a huge time skip, now. We are coming back to Kotomi and the others when they're 22! So prepare for things to become a little more…adult. ( ' –') As in potential adult content including but not limited to sexy times to gratuitous violence. I'm thinking I'll be posting actual sexy times on AO3. What do you guys think? Let me know! Until Next time!**_


	8. New Beginnings and Old Wounds

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases._**

 ** _Author's Note: Vote on the poll on my profile for your fave boy in the running! It might influence the end game? (Maybe? Hehe)_**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: New Beginnings and Old Wounds**

" _Do you miss your home?" Kotomi down at Oikawa, who is resting his head on her lap, allowing her to weave tiny wildflowers they've grown into his hair. Kotomi giggles slightly._

" _What brought that on?"_

" _The flowers remind me of that tree." Oikawa tries to read her expression when her hands pause while still in his hair, but he can't quite tell what she's thinking, still. "There were flowers like this there, too."_

" _Well," Kotomi continues, though her voice seems a little softer, trying to seem preoccupied with his hair so that she could stall answering his question. "I don't think that I care as much about the tree as I did about the things that happened under it."_

" _Like meeting me?"_

" _If I say yes, will you drop it?_

" _Only if you give me a kiss?"_ Smack. _"I was kidding. You're too much like Iwa-chan."_

" _Really? He says I'm more like you." Oikawa's eyes light up._

" _You mean I'm beautiful? Loyal? Kind? Passionate? Sex-"_

" _A pain in the ass, were his exact word." Oikawa fake sniffles in her lap, turning his head and nuzzling her, earning a grunt of annoyance at his behavior from the female trying to do her self-appointed assignment._

" _You guys are horrible…" After a few more minutes, Kotomi finally decides to answer his question._

" _I don't miss that place at all."_

 **6 Years Later…**

* * *

"Whoaaa! So this is the SDPA's base!? It's huge, and so clean!" A bouncy orange-haired boy jumps up and down in place as he and a crowd of young men step out of the SDPA vans, which carried them from their training camps to where they would be living from now on.

"Oi, Hinata- _boke,_ don't get too excited, you'll cause too much of a ruckus." The orange haired boy whips around to face his friend and glares, pointing at the shaking knees of the dark-haired young man with dark blue eyes.

"Don't give me that! You're just as excited! Don't try to act all cool, Kageyama!" Kageyama bristles, and the young man puffs his cheeks out, stomping his foot and pointing at the network of tents and buildings, separated by a tall wooden barrier surrounding the territory.

"But it's really Headquarters! We're really part of the SDPA!"

"Right!?" The two newly appointed soldiers shout excitedly each other, earning a slightly irritated glare from a tall young man with messy blonde hair, honey colored eyes, and a pair of black frames resting on his nose. Behind him is a young man with sun-kissed skin, brown eyes, and messy dark brown hair, with a cowlick poking upwards. He seems a little more nervous about their new location, looking at all the soldiers watching the new recruits, particularly Kageyama and Hinata, with slightly irritated expressions.

"They're attracting too much attention, maybe we should pretend we don't know them, Tsukki…"

"It's an embarrassment to be from the same training squad as them…" The blonde deadpans, rolling his eyes a little at his friend's concern. "But I guess it's fine. It's not like we're in the same sector. They're combat and we're communications."

"Yeah, but…"

"Who knows, maybe those two will discover that we can shout people to death, and we can say we've known those two idiots from the beginning." His friend covers his mouth to snicker at his friends' remark.

"Nice one, Tsukki!"

"You five! Get moving, we're closing the gates, soon!" Hinata and Kageyama jump at this. Hinata throws his arms up in the air and shouts as he runs off towards the gates. Kageyama shouts something intelligible before he runs after the orange haired whirlwind. Tsukiyama continues his calm stride. Yamaguchi starts to follow, but he looks back at the van, brow raised.

"Yachi-chan, are you not coming?" Standing at the door of the van, knees knocking together and knuckles turning white from holding onto the door for dear life, is a cute young woman with short blonde hair tied up in a half ponytail, brown eyes, and a slim figure.

"I-I-I'm t-try-trying, but I can't move my legs!"

"Ah…" Yamaguchi looks uncomfortable, unsure of how to convince the woman to come along. Yachi steps down, shaking like a leaf in the wind and flinching at anything that moved more than inch in her general direction.

"If you would rather stay here, then…" Yachi turns even paler at the thought, shaking her head frantically and practically throwing herself at Yamaguchi, who jumps himself.

"No, take me with you!"

"Uwahh!"

As the newest recruits line up in front of the main communication hub, Hinata jumps up and down in anticipation as he watches all the training and procedures occurring around him. He seems to be looking around for something, or someone, in particular. Yachi notices this, tilting her head and inching closer to her friend in the crowd of confused young people.

"Hinata-kun, what are you looking for?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm looking for the Founder Team!" Yachi blinks cluelessly, her round eyes impossibly rounder with confusion, and now curiosity.

"Founder…"

"The group of captains who helped establish the territories we have now and aided in building the barrier." Tsukishima explains quietly. While his voice is still static in intonation, his eyes are alive with a spark of reluctant admiration. "The SDPA was in a rough spot, but they managed to start making victory after victory, gradually stealing supplies and blueprints from the Citadel and creating this base. We probably would have been wiped out if it weren't for them."

"That's so cool, I didn't know there were people directly involved in something like that-"

"There they are!" A hush falls over the crowd as the doors to the main building fly open. Dressed completely in their uniform, a short sleeved mock turtleneck, cargo pants, bulletproof vests, communication ear pieces, and combat boots, all in black, steps out a group of men. They were tall, athletic, and oozed intimidation as they walk out of the building. Yachi's ears perk as she hears someone murmur.

"I can't believe some of them are two years older than us…"

"T-They're 22!? They look way older! Which means they were teens when they did all this!?"

"Kyaahhhh! Oikawa-san! It's Oikawa-san!" A few of the female recruits squeal as the brunette steps forward, adjusting his utility belt. He turns to the girls and smiles charmingly, sending a two finger salute their way. The girls squeal, but the men are stunned into silence.

"It's the Captain of the Gorilla Squad…they're the best at hand-to-hand combat. Oikawa Tooru took out 3 squadrons of the foreign invaders on his own!" Tsukishima glances to his left, making a face when he notices Kageyama, whose mouth has fallen open.

"What's wrong with him…?"

"Kageyama really looks up to the Grand King…he was Kageyama's trainer for a year." Hinata says, though he seems quite starstruck himself.

"Wow, you worked with someone that strong…? I guess that's why Kageyama-kun had top makrs in your training squad?" Yachi asks in disbelief, much to Hinata's disdain.

"But I was never able to beat him at all. He's way too strong, so I want to be like him. I want to surpass him." Kageyama says a little louder than his liking. Oikawa seems to be able to hear them, his head snapping in Kageyama's direction with a glare. Kageyama tenses, and the captain finds himself puffing his chest out with pride to know that he was afraid. Though that pride is short-lived when a slightly shorter man with dark spikey hair kicks the backs of his knees, almost knocking him down.

"Whoa, First Lieutenant Iwaizumi Hajime! The only soldier capable of taking Oikawa down! He's best at hand-to-hand, but he barged into an enemy base with only a knife and handgun and managed to decimate half the building before reinforcements came!" Oikawa pouts as he straightens himself again.

"Iwa-chan, you ruined my moment…"

"Shut up. You don't need your head any bigger than it already is."

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't think you can hog all the spotlight, you Gorilla! I'm the best, after all!" Bokuto throws an arm around Oikawa's shoulder, giving the messy head of mocha a noogie.

"Don't call me that!

"If the shoe fits, wear it. In your case, it's a hooker's stilettos, Gorilla-chan~" Hinata jumps up at this, his eyes widening in awe as it's his turn to gape. The spiky bedhead of Kuroo pops out from behind Oikawa, draping arms on top and around his shoulders.

"It's the Cat and Owl Captains!"

"What kind of names are these…?"

"Don't bother asking, you'll get stupid answers, Yamaguchi…"

"They're the best coordinating duo, and have the highest overall stats! Kuroo Tetsurou and Bokuto Koutarou…ooahh! They're way more intense…like… _gwaaah!_ " Tsukishima kind of snickers to himself.

"One's really lanky and the other is bulky, what kind of weird duo is that? He kinda looks like you and Bakayama, Hinata-kun~" Both young men gasp and look hopefully at Tsukishima. The bespectacled boy's smile falls at this.

"You think we can be like them!?"

"Ah, no, that wasn't…nevermind…" _Too stupid to insult…_

"Hey! Quit fooling around!" A stern-faced man, followed by an incredibly short young man with a blonde patch of hair in front of his face, calls out to the quarreling captains with a harsh voice. All four men stop and straighten themselves, while their supposed keeper pinches the bridge of his nose. "At least conduct yourselves properly before your kouhai!

"What kind of first impression are we making here…?"

"That's Sawamura Daichi…" Yamaguchi says quietly, finally seeming starstruck like the other two. "He's the youngest ever to be considered for the rank of Major, but he turned it down."

"That's so humble of him…" Yachi say to herself. "Oh! Wow, who's that…?" Her eyes fall on a beautiful young woman with shiny dark hair tied up in a pony tail and a pair of glasses, her eyes the color of a fine ice sculpture, an icy blue that seemed to shift from a frozen lake to a mountain spring in color. She was dressed in a pristine white lab coat, a button down top and a pencil skirt. She follows close behind, whispering something in Daichi's ear before pulling away.

"Wow, she's so pretty…" Hinata murmurs quietly, cheeks pink.

"That mole on her face is kind of sexy," Yachi comments. The young woman's eyes suddenly meet Yachi's, and she smiles, causing Yachi's face to erupt into a flood of pink on her peachy skin.

"S-She smiled at me!"

"Sorry about this, we're being deployed, so we can't stay for too long. But it would be rude for us not to greet you." Daichi begins, finally addressing the group of awestruck newcomers with an amicable expression, a complete 180 of what he had been like when talking to his fellow captains.

"First off, I'd like to welcome all of you to the Special Defense and Preservation Army, or the SPDA, for short. We are grateful for the work you've put in for these last 4 years, and we hope that the selective process of how we assign soldiers to the main base has made you realize that hard work gets rewarded, here. We'll be breaking you off with your Squad Mentors shortly. We've considered the reports that your Majors have sent to us during your time in training." Daichi grins.

"So no complaining, and no exchanges! The SDPA is built on trust, after all!"

* * *

"Whoooaa! I got Captain Sawammura!" Hinata cheers as he regards the big blackboard containing the names of every captain and the long list of newcomers assigned to their squadron. Kageyama glares as he spots his name just under Hinata's.

"I wanted Captain Oikawa…"

"But Captain Sawamura is cool, too!" As Kageyama and Hinata argue amongst themselves, Yachi looks for her name, tilting her head worriedly. She looks to Yamaguchi and Tsukishima.

"Who did you guys get?"

"Since we're communication, we have Akaashi Keiji. He's a First Lieutenant, so his name isn't up on the board." Tsukishima seems more preoccupied with finding a place to sleep and relax than answering Yachi's question.

"What's wrong, Yachi-chan?" Hinata asks suddenly, noticing Yachi's silence.

"Well…it doesn't seem like my name is up there…"

"You're right, it isn't…you are the only one who wanted to be a medic, after all…"

"What?" Kageyama questions, tilting his head as if the cogs in his brain were turning quite quickly. "You don't want to be on the field, at all?" Yachi shakes her head, wringing her hands nervously.

"Kageyama, do you even listen to our conversations on the bus at all…?"

"M-My mom begged me not to…it's the only way she was going to let me join." Everyone looks down. They always forgot that Yachi still had her mother. The rest of them were orphans, so there was no one waiting for them to come home. It was much easier to look death in the face when all of your family was already on the other side.

"Well! I'm sure you're assigned to someone!"

"Y-yeah! Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be okay!" Hinata and Yamaguchi respectively work to reassure Yachi, but her anxiety begins to pile up at the base of her throat, and her eyes become wet as she begins to panic, grabbing her head and gasping.

"W-What if they reviewed my reports and decided they didn't want me, after all! But they didn't want me to cause a scene, so they let me come along!? They're going to pull me aside and tell me to go home to help me save face! But how can I explain this to mom!? Oh, no! I'm going to go home disgraced, I'll never get married, or have kids and I'll die never having contributed anything!"

"I don't think-"

"Yachi Hitoka?" Yachi screams, startling the rest of her friends as she throws herself to the ground and covers her head.

"Please save me the shame and send me home, already!"

"Uh…?" The four men look at the newcomer while Yachi cowers in her little ball. Their eyes widen and their cheeks turn pink. Even Tsukishima seems slightly stunned, though this only registered as raised eyebrows. Yachi sniffles and looks up, her own eyes widening.

Before them stood a beautiful woman, her dark hair curling inwards just below her chin, a side-part creating a fringe that slightly obscured her left eye, resting just above a pair of vibrant blue eyes. It reminded Yachi of the cornflower, or the bachelor's button, as her mother liked to call them. She's dressed in the mock turtleneck, pants and combat boots like the captains, but she had an extra pack hanging from her waist. The woman smiles gently, offering a hand to her.

"I'm Fujisaki Kotomi. I'll be your Mentor for the medical unit. I'm afraid it's just you and me, but I hope we can get along." Yachi can't do anything more than nod absentmindedly and reach out to take her hand, standing up.

"You're so…beautiful…like a fairy." Kotomi blinks several times, then giggles, hiding her smile behind dainty fingers. That other woman she saw was sexy and alluring. This woman was beautiful and elegant, somehow, despite their less than pristine conditions. She seemed to astonish even the most hard-headed curmudgeons like Tsukishima.

"Why thank you, aren't you sweet?"

 _Whoa, is that an accent…? It's so proper! Is she really like us…?_

"Oi, newbies! What business do you have with Lieutenant Fujisaki?"

"C-Captain Oikawa!" Kageyama practically shoves Hinata out of his way as the brunette captain makes his way over to them, followed by Iwaizumi. "Please reconsider and put me on your team!" Oikawa only glares at him and turns away like a child, while Iwaizumi shakes his head, placing a hand on his hip.

"You heard Captain Sawamura, no trades or changes. They put a lot of thought into the teams." Iwaizumi admonishes, making Kageyama lower his head in shame. Oikawa scoffs.

"Nice try, Tobio-chan. There's no way I would let you be on my team if you can't even heed instructions! You'll just be in the way." To their surprise, Oikawa wraps his arms around Kotomi, nuzzling his face into her shoulder. It was quite intimate, especially for their size difference. They all had growth spurts as they reached adulthood, but Kotomi stopped growing much sooner than her male friends, much to her chagrin. They seemed to like taking advantage of her situation, as well.

"Kotori-chan, let's just ditch them and go on a date, yeah? Just you and me and Iwa-chan."

"Don't drag me into your stupid shit, Shittykawa, you shit."

"Don't use that word so much in the same sentence, Iwa-chan! It's vulgar! You're hurting Kotori-chan's ears!"

"Tooru, you're the one shouting into my ear."

 _They're on first name basis!_ Yachi turns even redder and covers her mouth as Kotomi shrugs off Oikawa's arms, placing a finger on his forehead to keep him away from her. _Lovers!?_

"Don't you have to be getting ready to go?"

"They're adults! You were away on a mission until yesterday, I missed you so much! I hate knowing you're where I can't see your face!"

"She's on this mission too, Oikawa. Speaking of which, Kotomi, why aren't you wearing your gear, yet? Are you sure you're rested enough?" Yachi watches with surprise at the concern the spiky haired man was showing, as Kotomi waves her hand dismissively.

"I'm totally fine. Keiji was asking me the same thing. You're all being a bunch of mother hens."

"Because you need supervision like a baby chick." Kotomi twitches at this, puffing her cheeks out and getting in Iwaizumi's face.

"I am _not_ a baby chick. I'm just as old as you guys- _Uuu!"_ She whines as Iwaizumi grabs her nose, squeezing it tightly and keeping a tight grip as she tries to claw his hand off.

"Then stop behaving like one. There's dirt under your chin, by the way." Yachi tilts her head with an empty expression, cheeks pink once more as she watches the Lieutenants interact. Iwaizumi touches the small smudge, wiping it away with a quick swipe of his pointer finger, holding her in place with his thumb. The positioning of his one hand made it look like he was about to kiss her.

 _Lovers…?_

"What were you up to, anyway?" He asks when finally releasing Kotomi's nose, catching her fist as it makes its way to his gut.

"Oh, Kiyoko was helping me in the greenhouse, so I didn't have time to get ready yet. I just wanted to meet my new mentee. Isn't she cute?" Kotomi grins and wraps her arms around Yachi, smiling happily. The poor blonde woman looks like she's going to blow a few circuits, if she hasn't yet already.

"No fair, Kotori-chan, why don't you hug me like that, too?" Oikawa whines, making another dive for her. He is subsequently held back by Iwaizumi, who grabs him by the collar of his shirt and begins to drag him away despite the brunette's protests.

"Go change, we'll be waiting at the vans for you."

"Thanks, Hajime." Yachi blinks several times, and the others peer at Kotomi curiously as she turns to Yachi again, pulling her short black hair into a tiny ponytail, pinning her fringe away from her eyes.

"Fujisaki-senpai, aren't you…a medic?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm a field medic, which means I'm combat-approved!" Kageyama, Yamaguchi, Hinata and Yachi let loose a cry of disbelief. "I usually tag along to provide support and medical attention. Though I'm usually doing more of the former these days."

"Y-You…you fight?" Kotomi grins at Kageyama's expression and places her hands on her hips, giggling proudly.

"I'm pretty good at it, too."

"But you're so…" Yamaguchi bites his lip, unsure of how to phrase it without offending a superior on his first day. Kotomi raises a finger to her lips with a slightly mischievous smile, giggling.

"There are ways small people can fight too, you know!" Hinata leaps into the air suddenly, almost jumping above Kotomi's head. Kotomi's eyes follow him, stepping back in complete shock. Not only did that come out of nowhere, but he jumped to such a height from a standing position.

"Wow!" When his feet find the ground again, Hinata jumps up into Kotomi's face, eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Fujisaki-senpai! Please spar with me! Teach me!"

"Eh…? I don't think Daichi would like me teaching his mentees for him…"

"But I'm small, too! I can't fight the same way as everyone else, so I have to fight in my own way!" Kotomi's eyes soften from their surprise as she listens to him make his case, finding that she could relate to that more than she would admit. "Teach me some of your tricks, please?"

"Well, when you say it like that…be sure to ask Captain Sawamura, okay? If he gives you the okay, I'll teach you as much as I can."

"Yahoo!"

"Um," Kotomi turns to Yachi, who is looking at the ground and fidgeting with her fingers again, lips pursed, and eyes tightened and unsure. "I like that you're going to be my mentor, but…I'm sorry. I don't think I can really be an on-field medic. My mom-"

"Oh, don't worry about that, Yachi-san!"

"Eh!? But you're-"

"I'm mainly on the field, but people on base in the medical wards need help as well. Unfortunately, not many people like the medical field, so we're short-staffed on base. That's why we're so grateful you applied to stay behind! If you want to become a field medic, then that would be great, but no matter where you are, you're going to be a great help." Yachi's cheeks darken and her eyes light up with relief. Kotomi gestures for the young girl to follow her.

"Now, before I leave, I'd like to show you something important." Kotomi turns to the young males still standing by Yachi. "You're welcome to come and see, as well."

"I'll come!" Hinata raises his hand, while Kageyama merely nods. If Oikawa-san was leaving, then there wasn't much else he was interested in doing, anyway.

"I'll pass." Tsukishima drawls, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I'm going to look for our mentors and then go to sleep until dinner." Yamaguchi immediately scoops up his own things, holding it in a bear hug.

"I'll come with you, Tsukki!" Kotomi waves as the two of them leave.

"I guess it's just you three! Come along, then!" Kotomi turns around and starts to walk, starting to head behind the communication base's building. As Tsukishima and Yamaguchi make their way toward the series of cabins that were built to become sleeping quarters, the latter can't help glancing back every now and then.

"That surprised me, that someone so pretty fights on the field…" When he receives no response to his comment, Yamaguchi turns his eyes to the back of his childhood friend. "Tsukki?"

"…I didn't think it was true, but…I think I've heard of her, before."

"Huh? Fujisaki-senpai?"

"During the time of the Founder Team, there was the Gorilla, the Cat, the Owl, and the Crow. Below them, their right-hand partners, who worked from the shadows to support their team. But…there was another part to the Founder Team. The Hummingbird."

"Humming…?" Yamaguchi tries to imagine each animal and their respective character traits in relation to each captain, but the hummingbird's image came quite short of the grueling expectations in the wild that was this war. "Is Fujisaki-senpai the hummingbird…?"

"I think so."

"So, she was a medic for them at the time, too?"

"Not just a medic. It might be hearsay, but…I heard a few scary rumors about her." Tsukishima's face sours a little, his grip tightening on the strap of his bag. Yamaguchi swallows hard, feeling a chill run up his spine from Tsukishima's behavior. "If they're not true, then that's fine, but I don't know if I would feel okay about getting all buddy buddy with her."

"What rumors?" Tsukishima glances around, as if wondering if it was smart for him to say something out loud about a superior. When he dictates that no one was really in earshot, he murmurs under his breath, only so loud that Yamaguchi can hear him.

"I heard that the Hummingbird was once a part of the Five Generals." Yamaguchi's face turns completely pale, his lips parting to gape. Suddenly, he was looking at his superior in a different light.

* * *

"Wow, what is this place!?" Hinata's voice echoes through the air as he takes it all in. The shift from the blazing temperature outside to the calm and temperate weather within the confines of the enormous glass dome above their heads was instantaneous. There was foliage everywhere, all kinds of plants and even produce growing from every corner. Amongst the greens, red, pinks, and yellows, there were people sitting amongst the leaves and blossoms, picking out fruits and vegetables.

"It's the SDP garden. This, Yachi-chan, is mainly where you'll be working. When I'm not here, Kiyoko will be around to help you out. The greenhouse is where we grow food and what we make most of our medicines from. It's the SDPA's single largest expense, aside from our expenses toward training."

"It's Kotomi-chan's baby, so it means a lot to her that you're going to start caring for it, Yachi-san." Kiyoko emerges from one of the rooms in the center of the greenhouse, which acted as a surveillance room or sorts. They were able to keep track of temperatures and humidity, but they didn't have the funds to install as many cameras as it would take to keep an eye on everything. Yachi tenses up considerably and bows, earning raised brows from the three others standing with her.

"Yachi-chan…"

"I-I didn't know what else to do…" Kotomi and Kiyoko look at each other and share a giggle.

"Well, since Kiyoko is here, I'm going to get changed. I'll see you all when I get back, alright? Be safe!" Kotomi smiles at her friend and then at the new recruits, exiting the greenhouse.

"She's so kind…" Yachi can't help but stare after her in admiration.

"She understands the way you all feel, so she wants you to feel welcome." Kiyoko nods. "She was new to everyone once, too."

"She wasn't here at the beginning?" Hinata asks. "But she seemed really close with Captain Oikawa and Lieutenant Iwaizumi." Kiyoko looks away at this.

"Those guys never really know how to be more discrete, do they?" She glances at them again, letting out a sigh. She supposed it would have to come up soon, especially with more recent developments. "Kotomi-chan…is a bit of a special case, for us. She helped us with the design of the greenhouse and the communication base, as well as the gates."

"N-No way! She's so smart, then!" Yachi gulps, swallowing hard. Could she really live up to being mentored by someone who can do all these things?

"Where did she get the idea for all of this, though?" Kiyoko finally notices that Kageyama was indeed listening when he speaks up with his question. It seemed like he had been zoning out until just now.

"She just shares with us what she remembers from that place, but our engineering division figured out everything else."

"'From that place…?'" Kiyoko's eyes seem to look past them as she looks up.

"From the Citadel."

"The Citadel!?" Kageyama shouts this loud enough that some people stop what they're doing to look. Kiyoko quickly brings a finger to her lips and glares slightly, causing the dark-haired man to cover his mouth. After a moment, people go back to their work. Hinata is so shocked he looked like his mouth was going to pop right off his jaw.

"Not just from the Citadel, but she knew the Five Generals." Yachi tenses, fear striking her heart. She didn't know who they were, really, but she remembered the first time she heard the name used. When she fled her childhood home, a modest but comfortable home thanks to her mother's talent for sewing, it was because one of her customers had warned her of The Five Generals beginning a campaign to slaughter non-Citadel towns while searching for rebel bases.

Yachi had never seen her mother so terrified, before. That night, they packed everything up and fled the town along with over half of everyone there. Her mother had been forced to leave behind all the _kimono,_ an ancient piece of clothing from before the wartime, she owned and made. The older Yachi cries whenever anyone brings it up, so her daughter resigned to never asking.

"How…how does Fujisaki-senpai know them?" Hinata asks cautiously. He seems to have a better idea than Yachi on how they are.

"She grew up with them. I don't know all the details, but apparently she was like family to them. They're the same age as the Captains, and they lead one of the cruelest, strongest, and most violent armies the Citadel had to offer. They've been slaughtering bases left and right lately. They've had years to perfect their hunts for us, and it seems they've found something that works." The three newcomers tense at this. Hinata and Kageyama, who came from quite small slums in the middle of nowhere, had never had any run-ins with any of the Citadel Armies, but stories about them were something akin to a real-life Boogeyman, for any kid who grew up outside the border.

"T-Then why is she here? Isn't she an enemy?" Kagayama poses, earning him such an intense glare from Kiyoko that he shuts his mouth almost immediately.

"Don't ever let any of the captains hear you say that. You may not understand everything about Kotomi-chan now, but you will. Just…we're all a team now, so we have to trust each other." Kiyoko takes a deep breath, deciding that the mood had gotten too dark. "Sorry, I thought you all just needed to know. It might come up again, but at least it won't be a surprise."

"Thank you for telling us…"

"I think that's enough for today." She looks to Hinata and Kageyama. "Since Daichi is going to be away on mission, would you guys like to get something to ea-"

"Race you to the cafeteria!"

"Oi! Hinata, _boke,_ don't try to get ahead!" Kiyoko blinks and Yachi immediately resorts to apologizing on behalf of her friends, bowing frantically.

"I'm so sorry, so sorry!" Kiyoko shakes her head, waving dismissively with a tiny smile. "They're just really excited people." _Well, I am, too, so I guess I shouldn't be talking…_

"I think you'll all get along, here." Yachi smiles a little at this, running after her friends, but she stops short a moment, glancing back at Kiyoko.

"Say, why did they get deployed again, Shimizu-senpai?" Kiyoko's smile falls slightly, the wind seeming to blow ominously.

"The Five Generals are sacking a base we recently acquired as we speak. They're going to intercept and reclaim it. It's the third one this week." Yachi swallows hard, feeling something ominous lurking in the shudder that shakes her form. But she forces another smile, waving and bowing to Kiyoko before running off. Her smile falls completely off her face when she sees the serious expression on Kotomi's face as she carriers her gear towards the loading docks. Strapped to her back was the required rifle, the dagger and line of flash grenades. However, she also had bandages, ointments hanging from loops and straps on her extra belt as well. It was such a stretch from the woman they had just previously spoken with. Was she really once friends with these Five Generals? Wasn't it painful to fight people from her old home? Perhaps she would get to ask her when she came back. As if sensing her gaze, Kotomi glances back to Yachi, her lips turning upward into a smile before she waves and disappears into the loading docks.

"Come back safe…"

* * *

 _Shit, it's so damn hot,_ the redheaded man thinks as he wipes his forehead, taking a long drink from his canteen and wiping his mouth afterwards. _I can't believe we have to clean up after we finish, too. It's a little much._

"Captain, what should I do with these?" A short-haired bespectacled man with green eyes hidden behind round frames pokes his head up to look at the bloodied flags of the rebel camp they just wiped out.

"Ah, probably burn them. Kagami, go help Teppei tie up the survivors. That airhead let one get loose and we had to kill him." Kagami tries not to look too annoyed, knowing that the Demon Captain of Unit 6 would take his head off in retaliation.

"Sir, can I ask why we don't just kill them like we used to?" His captain sighs in exasperation. It feels like Kagami Taiga, as powerful as he is, needs to have things explained to him three times before it finally sticks.

"Like I said, the initiative changed. We-"

"We take them back to base and keep them in prison. Akashi-kun said that it's less wasteful that way." Kagami scoffs a little.

"What do you mean waste, they're—"

" **WAH!"** Both Kagami and his captain almost leap out of their skin as the disembodied voice finishes the latter's sentence. Behind Kagami stood a young man with a youthful face, round powder blue eyes and messy hair. Kuroko Tetsuya was in his early 20s, but some days he could pass for as young as 17, if it weren't for the frigid expression he always wore. He doesn't seem in the least bit bothered by their outburst, but Kagami is, grabbing the shorter male by the head and raising a fist menacingly.

" _Stop_ doing that! Come into a conversation normally!"

"I was calling your name, you never acknowledged me." The captain sighs in relief, holding a hand to his chest. Ever since the Phantom 6th General of the Five Demon Generals joined their unit, battles have been won quicker. Half the enemy was already dead before they even realized the extra presence. But…his own teammates hardly noticed him, too.

"I don't think we'll ever get used to that…"

"Are you guys not finished yet?" A beautiful woman with chin-length mocha brown hair and eyes to match steps out of one of the tents, carrying with her boxes upon boxes of gadgets including communication devices, trackers, flashbangs, and weapons.

"Why are you taking those, Riko?" Kagami asks the team's medic in confusion. "They're our models, right? And they're outdated. What's the point?" Riko glares and puffs her cheeks out childishly as she cuddles the machines.

"Because I came up with those outdated blueprints, you ingrate! To think that these were created from my plans that were stolen by the rebels…it's like having your own children turned against you! Isn't that right, Hyuga-kun!?"

"Right…" Kagami couldn't see the look in his captain's eyes, as the glare from the sun reflecting off his glasses, but he could just feel that the captain was saying something along the lines of: "Don't question it, just agree with her or we'll be here all day." Luckily, they're both saved when the walkie talkie at her hips comes to life with a sudden gasp of static. As she pulls it out, garbled words can be heard coming though the receiver.

"Helicopter…approaching…extraction…"

"Damn reception…" Kagami mutters in annoyance as he hears the steady beating of copter blades descend from the clouds, revealing the sleek, black airborne vehicle with tinted windows as it moves to the landing site.

"It should improve as we get closer to the satellite console." Kuroko offers, starting toward the helicopter. He purses his lips as he silently worries about bringing the report of this capture to Akashi. They've been toppling enemy bases for almost 6 years, now, and they still haven't seen a single rebel who had been responsible for the day they never speak of. It seems as if their bloodlust is cooling into a cold indifference towards the sanctity of human life, these days _._

"I just don't understand why we need to keep working our asses off like this, wiping out trash." Kagami grumbles. "I haven't had a good battle in days."

"Maa, maa, Kagami." Koganei coos, a fellow teammate who actually resembled a cat, with the way his mouth tended to curl up like a feline's. "Try to relax a little. War isn't always what you see in the movies."

"It's not like we want hard battles, right?" Izuki agrees, running his fingers through his hair. He holds up dead grenade, eyes sparkling with hope. "Not every death has to come with a _bang._ "

"I just feel like I'll get rusty if I'm not careful."

"I'm being ignored!?"

"Fufufu, should I up the ante on our training sessions, then?" Riko asks playfully, eyes sparkling with hope as well. A collective shudder rumbles through the team, as they all answer in unison.

"No, ma'am!"

"Ahaha, it is good to be energetic, Kagami, but the battles will start again. Then you'll wish they would calm down a little bit." Kiyoshi says, ruffling the redhead's hair until the younger man smacks his hand away with a snarl.

"Fine, I get it! Let's just go!" He storms over to the helicopter and throws the door open. He's met with two young men with messy hair and mischievous grins while they drawl out their greetings.

"Why good afternoon~"

"Hi~" Kagami barely has time to register the almost devilish smiles of the unfamiliar faces that greet him when he opens the door before a boot collides with his face, knocking him down. At the same exact moment, the full message comes through on the main receiver, now in range to connect them with base.

"Homebase to Unit 6, Homebase to Unit 6! Extraction team A6 has been compromised! Enemies approaching! The extraction has been compromised!"

"Shit! Oi, get your asses in gear—" There's several loud bangs as the air suddenly fills with smoke, obscuring the vision of the unsuspecting unit. Kuroko coughs and covers his mouth with his mask around his neck, drawing his favorite blade. Kagami was priority, and in the most danger. Said priority is quick to overcome the stunning, his eyes accommodating just in time for him to narrowly dodge the knife that comes his way, moving his head to that it grazed the skin of his cheek instead of embedding itself into his head.

"Tch', not fun if you _dodge!"_ Kagami wraps his legs around his assailant and launches him, doing a roll in the process before lunging blindly into the smoke. The attacker isn't thrown as far as he would have hoped, a quick recovery allowing them to return to their feet. Kagami draws his pistol and lets loose a shot before the clanging of weapons could be heard, and Kagami tries not to gasp in shock as he nearly loses his footing from the sheer force exuding from this unseen man.

"Hey, hey, hey! You're pretty good, huh!? Entertain me a little more, won't ya!?" Kagami is shoved back, and he immediately prepares for a counter, blocking his vitals, even if he couldn't see.

"Bring it on!" He could feel the feral grin gracing his lips as waits for an attack. Meanwhile, Kiyoshi is trying to navigate the smoke, trying to find Riko. He had only just recently been able to return to the battlefield as technical and medical support only, but that didn't mean he couldn't hold his own, anymore. Through the smoke, he can just barely make out the shape of her and someone clad in tactical gear, which sends him into a panic. He sneaks up on the assailant, about to grab them, but another uniform blocks his way.

"Teppei!?" Riko calls from the smoke, her call distracting the rebel in front of her and allowing her to crawl away. Kiyoshi finds himself surrounded by the two. He smiles amicably while cracking his knuckles.

"Let's have some fun, then." Before he can even register, he's thrown to the ground by someone who was most definitely smaller then him, judging by the angle that he's thrown at. But they're strong. Kiyoshi is quick to recover, standing back up and advancing before his assailant can reorient himself in the smoke. He could see their back, rushing in and throwing a punch, only for the forgotten member pops up.

In the split moment he throws the punch his assailant catches his forearm with both arms wrapping around it like a pair of constrictors striking its prey. With what he assumes is an impressive amount of upper body strength, his opponent uses Kiyoshi's arms to swing upwards to lock their legs around the area under his armpit and above his shoulder. In the same motion, they push all their body weight upwards at such an angle that Kiyoshi finds himself falling sideways. His knee throbs in pain and he collapses with a grunt of pain.

 _Damn, this guy is good-! If only my knee…_ Kiyoshi reaches for his gun, but its kicked away, even if his assailant might not have known he had a weapon. Then, a hand comes down to grab his throat, tight enough to choke out any noise, but not enough to cause panic, which might give him the adrenaline he might need to overpower them. Then, he feels the pressure of a knee against his solar plexus, the other knee pinning his other free arm. Something about this process was familiar to him. They read all his moves and executed a perfect takedown, but it was exactly as he would have done if the roles were switched. As the smoke begins to clear, he finds his answer in the silhouette of a very old, very welcome face.

"…Kiyoshi…senpai?"

* * *

Kuroko searches the smoke blindly, realizing that it was starting to dissipate. All he could hear was fighting, the clashing of blades, the grunts of exertion. It was all home to him, now. No one else would have visibility but him at this point in time, at least not from a distance.

"Looking for someone to play with?" Kuroko whirls around, cold indifference hardening his gaze once more. But when he comes face to face with a messy-headed brunette with a sickeningly familiar face, his blood runs cold for just a moment. Time seems to stop for him, and that day comes back to him all at once. Her sweet voice, her bitter tears, her crimson blood, her cries of anguish, her begging for freedom.

" _Stop, please, you won't be able to turn back!"_

 _"How long have you been here…?"_

 _"Kuroko-nii!"_

 _"Tetsuya!"_

 _"I can't be by your side like this!"_

Her adorable smile, the kind that crinkles her nose when she's really happy.

Gone.

Instantly, his blood melts and then boils. Kuroko feels something snap in his normally cold demeanor. He almost _growls,_ a cold fury fueling his steps as he lunges at Oikawa. The brunette catches the edge of his serrated blade with his own but is unable to stop him from toppling them both. Kuroko, ever calm and observant, pulls back his blade and aims for the throat, but Oikawa catches it, gritting his teeth as the blade rips through his palm. Kuroko growls at this again, pushing harder than he ever thought possible. Just a little more. Just a little more, and he could finally release a fraction of the agony he's suffered for all these years.

"You took her from us." He grits out, his voice shaky and calm in its own terrifying, unhinged way. His eyes are so wide they stung with the beginnings of moisture both from the dry air and the flooding of emotions flowing through pore of his body. "You…it was your fault she died. She was sweet, and innocent! I…we _loved_ her. Give her back! Give her back to us!" His voice wavers and his grip starts to loosen.

"Just her body, at least…let me see her. Just one more time…let me hear her…" Oikawa feels his own resolve stutter as he recognizes the agony in Kuroko's eyes. But he doesn't feel sympathy for long, as he finally recognizes the man on top of him, his eyes widening. He's immediately searching for his best friend, knowing that there wouldn't be much time before he noticed who else was here. They had to get her out of here before then.

"Iwa-chan, you have to retreat! We have to-!"

"Kotomi...chan…?" Kuroko's shoots up from his hunched over position. Oikawa doesn't let this slide, grabbing the man by the front of his shirt with his bloodied hand, throwing him to the side and pinning his arms behind his back. Luckily, Kuroko wasn't too strong, physically, and escape was the last thing on his mind as his eyes scan desperately.

 _That was Kiyoshi-senpai's voice. Maybe I was mishearing things, but it really sounded like—_

"Oi! Kuroko!" Kagami was still struggling to fend off Bokuto, both of them with their feet digging into the dirt as the two seemed at odds with one another. "Get off him!" Bokuto looks over to where Kuroko and Oikawa were.

"Wait, I know that guy! He's the one who…" His eyes immediately scan the chaos as well. The smoke was finally gone, and she was in full sight. Riko covers her mouth, tears filling her eyes as she gasps quietly.

"Ko…tomi…?" The woman slowly looks up from her position on top of Kiyoshi, slowly coming to her feet, letting go of her old mentor. He can only gaze up at her in disbelief. Everyone else on the team looks confused, but Kagami recognizes the girl. She was sun-kissed, littered with faded scars, her hair was short, and she seemed much less like a porcelain doll and more like some kind of modern Valkyrie. But she was undoubtedly that girl that they talked about often during their years of training.

"That girl from the picture…but…I thought…"

"Kotomi-chan…! I thought you were dead!" Riko is the first to run for her friend, throwing her arms around the dark-haired woman. Kotomi catches her, still in disbelief. Six years she sat in her anxiety and fear that she would face with her past again in combat. Six years passed and she never ran into a single familiar face.

"You…look at you, you're all grown up now." Kiyoshi adds, with tears of his own as he uses his large hands to cup her face, as if unable to believe she was really here. "A grown woman." He laughs wetly.

"That's what…that's what happens when you get older, Kiyoshi-senpai." Kotomi sounds numb, unsure of how to react. Slowly, she turns her head to face Oikawa, more specifically, the man he was pinning below him. Kotomi had never seen the blue-haired man so shocked, before.

"Tooru, it's okay, let him go." Oikawa is the only one still on edge, his eyes searching Kotomi's for some indication of what she was planning to do. She nods once more in his direction. "Please. Your hand, that's your firing hand. I'll treat it." Slowly, cautiously, Oikawa lets him go with reluctant sigh, but not without a warning.

"Move too quickly, I'll kill you." His voice holds dark promise, but Kuroko hardly hears him, his eyes trained only on Kotomi as the young woman slowly approaches him with tiny, hesitant steps. He remembers its exactly the way she walked when she was in trouble. After a few steps, he stops, as horror floods his senses.

She was alive, which meant she survived being shot.

Which meant he could have saved her and didn't.

It was just as Momoi said to him all those years ago.

He left her to die.

And she was saved by the enemy and fought beside them. Even the way she looked at him was not the way he remembered. He never thought she would look at him with such uncertainty, as if she half expected him to harm her. The thought broke his heart, if there was even anything left of it.

"Kotomi-chan…I—"

"Tetsuya." His name on her lips had his heard thrumming inside his chest. Her voice hadn't changed much, but her tone was chastising, her brow furrowing as she looks around at the destruction of the camp. She looks to him again, the two shades of blue meeting for the first time in 6 long years. "Please let my friends go."

 _Friends…?_ Who, the rebels they captured? Reality comes flooding back in for Kuroko as his expression smooths over, a frown settling over his lips as she shakes his head.

"They're prisoners of war, now. We'll be taking them back to the city."

"You're supposed to be on our side, anyway." Kagami says, having stepped back from Bokuto, but neither male is completely relaxed. In fact, everyone was quite tense still, despite no longer engaging in combat. "Just come back, and we can work this all out. You're confused." Kotomi's eyes narrow at his patronizing tone.

"If we talk to everyone, maybe you can be a medic for us again, Kotomi!" Riko offers.

"Not going to happen." Kuroo says with a wave of his hand, glaring slightly. "Kotori-chan is our friend, and she's decided to stay with us."

"You've warped her mind." Kiyoshi is glaring at each of the rebels. "Six years is more than enough time for Stockholm Syndrome. She needs medical help, and therapy."

"What I _need_ is for you to stop making assumptions about my state of mind. None of you know what I've been through these last 6 years with these people." Kotomi raises her voice, never taking her eyes off Kuroko. "I can't change the fact that you think I'm being manipulated, but I _can_ tell you is that I have no intention of leaving where I am or returning to the Citadel."

Kuroko's eyes harden, and he clenches his fist. Part of him wanted to just knock her out and take her home to talk sense into her, but he wasn't strong enough to fend off the monstrous pressure he felt. The other rebels were watching him like hawk, their eyes sharpened to near points, as if they were just _begging_ him to try and take her.

"Then it seems we're at a standstill." Daichi takes the tense silence to speak up, pulling away from his clashing with Hyuga and instead turning to him. "I say we call a stalemate."

"Hah?" Hyuga asks incredulously, immediately suspicious of what the dark-haired man was thinking. He had the same vibe as Imayoshi, despite his straight-forward demeanor. He was most certainly the crafty type, wasn't he?

"This will end with a needless bloodbath, if we're not careful. We'll just kill each other and cut down our own numbers needlessly while trying to escape. So, let's all take a breather."

"What if we just kill you guys?" Kagami turns Bokuto, a feral grin stretching across his lips once more as he almost seems raring to go. "And the survivors get to go home."

"You'd risk your friends' lives so carelessly…" Kagami's eyes shine with an unfiltered excitement, his tongue dragging across his lips. Bokuto tenses.

"No need. I know we'll be the victors."

 _This guy is almost too intense, and that's coming from me. And what's with his eyebrows?_

"Don't underestimate us." Oikawa growls softly, a mocking smile splitting his lips. "Don't forget how many of these territories that you're attacking are ones we stole from _you_ in the first place. We can hold our own." The others glare and stiffen at this truth.

"Let me treat the injured, at least." Kotomi insists. "Just to make sure they don't die. I don't know what we should all do now but let me see my people."

"They're not your people, Kotomi-chan…they're the enemy." Kotomi purses her lips, walking slowly over to Kuroko and putting her hands on his chest, splaying her fingers over the lean muscle of his upper body. Kuroko seems to tense at her touch. She no longer smells of roses, but instead of lilies, but it was still uniquely Kotomi. He missed this scent so much, and he wants to wrap his arms around her, but he also wants to smack some sense into her. But he chooses to remain still as Kotomi presses her forehead to his chest.

"I am too. You told me yourself that I was the moment I took Tooru's hand." His words come back to him and he clenches his fists tightly. They were words said out anger. He couldn't speak for everyone else, but he would take her back in a heartbeat, with the stipulation she was never to leave his side again. "And plus, I've fought too."

This catches him off guard, as he finally realizes that she was wearing the same gear as everyone else. She had a gun, and a rifle. She had even pinned down Kiyoshi-senpai. That meant she knew how to fight. Which meant she had opponents she's been fighting. It was everything he was against even when they were just teens.

"I never wanted you to live this kind of life. You deserve to be safe and comfortable."

"I was safe, but I wasn't happy."

"Safe is better. Safe means that you're guaranteed happiness one day, even if it's far at the moment." He cups her cheek, stroking the soft flesh with the bad of his thumb. "And I still want that for you, Kotomi-chan." Kotomi takes his hand, then peels it off her, staring up at him intently.

"Tetsuya…you don't know the first thing about who these people are." Kotomi pulls away. It's as if she's looking right through him.

"And you don't know the first thing about me, either. I've never been safer and happier with them…not since our days as children. Everyone here is my family." Kuroko's expression becomes crestfallen, his heart sinking, his hope disintegrating right before his eyes.

"Aren't we your family?" Kotomi seems to expect this question, as she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, soaking in silence so thick she could cut a slice of it and serve it on a platter. Finally, she opens her eyes, which are clear and certain.

"No, you're my enemy." Kotomi draws her knife and turns the blade so that Kuroko could see his own horrified expression at her admission. "And I won't hesitate to cut you down to protect my family."

"You're kidding!" Kagami snarls. "You'd fight your own people…? Do you even know how much Kuroko's suffered because he thought you were dead!? You traitor!" Oikawa laughs, licking his lips as he joins the slow re-draw of weapons, his heart filled with pride and some relief.

"Kotori-chan, this is why you're the best!" Daichi grins without humor, shaking his head as he tenses as he takes a deep breath.

"I was trying to deescalate…." Kuroko watches Kotomi for what feels like an eternity, his bottom lip trembling with a whirlwind of emotions he was trying to keep in check. What did he do? He couldn't fight her, but he couldn't let her get away, again. Surely she was being forced to say these things. Surely, she's suffered a lot, and was crying on the inside to come home. Slowly, he releases his clenched fist, lowering his gaze.

"Hyuga-senpai…" The bespectacled captain looks up, brow raised.

"Could we back down for now?"

* * *

" _Wahh, are you playing hairdresser? Let me play too~" Kuroo purrs as he comes across Oikawa and Kotomi sitting in front of what would eventually become the greenhouse to sustain their base. Oikawa growls languidly and wraps his arms around Kotomi's waist, hiding his face in her stomach._

" _Get your own pillow, you damn alley cat. You always spoil the good moments." Kotomi smacks Oikawa on the head._

" _Who's this pillow you're talking about?" Kuroo chooses to sit beside her, the pinky of his hand resting atop hers, and soon Bokuto bounds up to them._

" _Oya, oya! Are we cuddling!? I wanna cuddle with Komi-chan!"_

" _Bokuto-san, you're being too loud again, the Citadel will come." Bokuto gasps and slaps his hands over his mouth, earning raised brows from the others. Did he actually believe Akaashi? The silver haired boy swoops in and steals Kotomi's other knee, earning a squawk of anger from the brown-haired teen. Akashi sits on her other side, leaning against her and looking up at her as if to question if this was okay._

" _Your other side might get cold." Kotomi rolls her eyes and giggles._

" _Okay, no more people! It's too crowded and hot, now! Kotori-chan, finish my hair!" Oikawa whines childishly, squirming in his anger over his interrupted quiet time. Kotomi pats his stomach the way one would a fussy child._

" _There there…"_

" _Oikawa, shut up, a little~ You're ruining the moment."_

"I'm _ruining the moment!?"_

" _Shhhh!" Oikawa shouts when he hears approaching footsteps, growling like the territorial animal he was._

" _No more! Go away, I don't…oh…Iwa-chan…" The dark-haired teen's eyes are challenging and narrowed, his skin glistening with sweat from a training session._

"Huh?" _Oikawa swallows as Hajime walks over, plopping himself behind Kotomi and wrapping his arms around her, pressing back to his chest and fitting his chin into the crook of her shoulder, seeming to relax, this way. The others glare at Iwaizumi, while Kotomi flushes and wrinkles her nose._

" _Iwaizumi-san, you reek of sweat. I'm going to have to shower after this."_

" _You can always shower with me, little bird~"_ Smack. _"I was kidding."_

" _Bokuto-san, don't actually fall asleep."_

" _Whoa! That's Bo for ya!" Kotomi's expression softens as she basks in the warmth of her friends surrounding her._

I don't miss that place at all…I'm happy, so happy, right here. _Her smile falls off her face after someone's fist hits her chin. With a cry, she throws them all off, standing up in irritation._

" _Mou! I'm going home! Why can't you guys behave!?"_

" _Wait, Kotori-chan! We can cuddle in the tents, too!"_

* * *

 **Please leave a Review 3**

 **Love, Silky**


	9. Deception

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases.**_

 _ **Thanks to**_ azurerozu101Skittles of randomness _**for the follows!**_

 _ **Author's Note: I'm in the process of writing a third story, this one with only the Haikyuu boys. I have a lot of stories swirling around in my head and I need to write them to be able to set it out of my mind. Perhaps it will be a xvarious series? I'm not sure. But I'm going to keep writing this and Jack of All Trades as well. Jack of All Trades takes much longer to plan and write because I'm weaving in Kotomi's story without disrupting too much canon. So please forgive my slowness on that! Anyway, onto the story! Please enjoy!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Lying is Surviving, Deception for Correction**

 _Kuroko searches bushes, the trees, the underbrush, anywhere his tiny hands could reach. Despite being only a boy of 10 years old, his mind was wandering to places that only adults with an unshakable mettle should be wary of. Being separated often meant never seeing each other again where he came from. And no matter how many times he was reassured, the anxiety never really went away. He did, after all, grow up in active war zones._

 _"Kotomi-chan?" He calls as loudly as his tiny voice carry, waiting for a moment to listen for a voice to respond to him. A rustle from above alerts him too late, as a tiny body falls atop his with a tiny screech reaching his ears._

 _"Oh!" It's the only sound that leaves his lips, as he wraps his arms tightly around her waist, the both of them toppling to the ground._

 _"Ow, ow, ow…"_

 _"Kotomi-chan, you shouldn't be climbing by yourself like that." The dark-haired girl, whose long black hair was tied neatly in a braided bun for her by the maids, giggles. She had leaves, new and crumbled alike, sticking haphazardly to every inch of her dark locks, and dirt on her chin. The maids were going to scold her, later, but all the young girl did was giddily laugh her worries and Kuroko's away. Kuroko finds his worried irritation waning and his sharp tone softening. It wasn't long ago that this giggly, energetic girl was barely even moving, much less climbing trees. How could he stay mad at her?_

 _"Kuroko-nii sounds like Shiori-san!" Kuroko's cheeks turn pink at the accusation, and her hides the rosy color staining his pallid skin with his tiny forearm._

 _"I do not…that's not nice. Please get off me, Kotomi-chan. You're too heavy."_

 _"Sorry!" Kotomi stands up, patting down her dirty dress and offering her hand to him. He smiles and takes her hand and stands up, squeezing her tiny fingers in his to keep her from pulling away, though she doesn't even attempt it. "Is it snack time, already?"_

 _"Murasakibara-kun has probably eaten your share."_

 _"That's okay! He's going to be tall, so he needs it more."_

 _"You baby him, Kotomi-chan." He doesn't sound too bothered by it, though. "But that's okay, I can share with you."_

 _"Ehehe, I don't really mind. I like sharing with Kuroko-nii, after all." Kuroko finds himself blushing again, and he looks away._

 _"Kotomi-chan…could you…call me by my first name?" Kotomi blinks cluelessly at him._

 _"Why?"_

 _"I…I'm your age, so…calling me Kuroko-nii is a little…and I call you Kotomi." Without missing a beat, Kotomi nods in understanding , and she squeezes his hand again._

 _"You're right, so from this day on, I'll call you Tetsuya-kun, okay!" Kuroko smiles at this, an adorable upturn of his lips, as he nods. The sound of his name in her voice made him inexplicably happy. The two continue their walk back out of the gardens of the Akashi manor._

 _"Kotomi-chan…?"_

 _"Yes?" His hand squeezes hers a little tighter as he gnaws on his bottom lip._

 _"Please don't climb trees like that on your own anymore, okay? At least have someone with you." Kotomi looks confused for a moment, and then offers one of her nose-crinkled grins, which has the 10-year-old's heart fluttering in his chest._

 _"Okay, Tetsuya-kun!"_

* * *

Kuroko burns holes into the back of Kotomi as he watched her work. They had reached a compromise and released the rebels with the life-threatening wounds to be treated. Without another glance in his direction, Kotomi hurried to the sides of his enemies. They greeted her by name and seemed relieved to see her, and her them. It made the bile rise to the back of his throat. He felt so many things, he wasn't sure what to address first.

Anger? Betrayal? Joy? Jealousy? Relief? They all swirled around in his chest in a whirlpool that intended to pull him asunder and suffocate him.

"Kuroko." Kagami is suddenly standing beside him, a hand on the shadow's shoulder as he looks on in quiet bewilderment. "I thought you said she was dead." Kuroko swallows the lump in his throat.

"I thought so, too. But there she is."

"Helping the enemy." The blue-haired man looks down at his own clenched fists, biting his bottom lip.

"She's confused, but I think she really cares for them. I don't want to hurt her, anymore."

"War isn't that kind." Kagami reminds him. "Akashi would definitely consider this a form of treason, wouldn't he?" Akashi has publicly executed soldiers for less.

"I know, but I'm not going to change my mind. I'll take any punishment, but he would want her to come home, too. " Kuroko admits in response, watching as Kotomi removes her vest so a bleeding soldier could use it as a pillow while she cauterized his open wound. His eyes narrow as she takes the young man's hand and holds it tight, comforting him as she holds a lighter to her knife. Kagami sighs, rubbing the back of his head.

"It's not like you to be so demanding. It must mean a lot to you. I don't really get it, but…I'll help you out." Kuroko finds himself smiling softly. Who would have thought that this giant brute of a man would become one of his best friends?

"Thank you, Kagami-kun." Kagami returns the smile before his gaze returns to the makeshift boundary they've created using old wire. His eyes widen and then narrow a little, and Kuroko tilts his head when Kagami scowls a little, following his line of sight. The messy-haired man who stood taller than his comrades with eyes that teetered on a light brown and amber was staring directly at the two. His lips were turned up slightly with a cattish grin that seemed to say, "I can hear you~" He was standing near Kotomi, not enough to interfere with her work, but close enough that if they were to lunge for her now, they might just get killed.

"They're trouble." Kagami admits, remembering his face off with the silver haired man, who was now bouncing around, completely unharmed, around Kotomi. He didn't seem in the least bit injured, tugging playfully on Kotomi's arm, though he immediately pulls back after Kotomi snaps at him, saying something that has him sitting down with a sad, clueless expression. "We'll have to get her to break off. All those guys are guarding her." His eyes flicker toward Oikawa, whose eyes are glued to Kotomi's every movement. "Especially that guy. He smells like Tatsuya." This catches Kuroko's attention.

"That's high praise for you, Kagami-kun. You haven't even seen him fight."

"But he smells strong." Kagami insists with a grin. "I'd like to face off with him and that grey-haired guy again." His eyes widen a bit as he suddenly notices that the messy haired man with half-lidded cobalt eyes and messy dark hair looking directly at them. "C-can he hear us…?" Kuroko doesn't answer, but he can guess that they did. Truly, these men might be troublesome.

 _In more ways than one…_ He bitterly admits as Akaashi kneels by Kotomi to help her, their shoulders touching more than he would like, and looks back at Kuroko with a challenging regard.

* * *

"I think they're planning something." Akaashi says casually while Kotomi dresses his twisted ankle and shallow cuts. He had been caught off guard by a rookie while he was dismounting the helicopter.

"I know." Kotomi says simply without ceasing her work. "Tetsuya is probably plotting for a way to take me back."

"They'll have to get through us." Iwaizumi growls, his dislocated shoulder and relaxing on command as Kotomi grasps shoulder and his arm firmly.

"I know, that's what I'm afraid of. Which is _why—"_ Iwaizumi grunts in pain as she jerks suddenly, popping his arm back in place with a swift and calculated motion. "We need stay alert. Especially if we plan on getting out of here with all of our men." Kotomi finds her eyes wandering back to Kuroko, who meets her gaze just a moment before she looks away again, eyes downcast. Oikawa reaches up and curls his hands around the nape of her neck, directing her gaze to his own.

"Kotori-chan," He begins, lips pursed. "Do you want to go home with them?" Kotomi's eyes widen, but she doesn't think for long before she shakes her head.

"I don't plan on going back if that's what you're afraid of, Tooru." The young men exchange looks while Kotomi pulls away from him while she cleans up her supplies. Bokuto looks a little downcast himself. He hated it when Kotomi looked sad; he soaked up her emotions like a sponge. As he's looking down, he spots a radio in one of the boxes of confiscated electronics the Citadel had planned on taking with them. An idea crosses his mind and he grins wildly as he suddenly stands up, grabbing the radio.

"Bo? The hell are you doing?" Kuroo asks curiously as his friend sets the radio up, playing with a few buttons. He reaches into the box, pulling out a few discs and hooting in victory. Kotomi raises a brow.

"The fuck…?" Kagami echoes Kuroo unknowingly, earning the attention of the others. They tense, thinking that they were planning some kind of counter or contact with their allies. But when a crackly, distorted version of some energetic jazzy dance starts, the confusion only mounts while the tension deescalates. Bokuto taps his foot and snaps with a wide grin, shimmying in a goofy way and shuffling up to Kotomi, who still has a lost expression on her face. He offers her a hand, shimmying in place.

Understanding floods her expression as she laughs a little, reaching out to take his hand and letting him pull her closer.

"Are you serious, Koutarou?"

"You're much better with a smile, Komi-chan. If we're gonna be here a while, let's take a minute to loosen up, yeah?" Kuroo sighs and shrugs.

"Guess being a naïve idiot has its perks, once in a while." Bokuto shoots his friend a glare and a middle finger while Kotomi laughs.

"That's okay. I like that he's an idiot."

"I don't like your backhanded compliments!" As they sway back and forth to the music, Kuroko's eyes widen and soften with longing, especially with hearing her laugh. Bokuto twirls her and pulls her close, steps on her feet, almost drops her a few times. But soon, they're in full swing, spinning and jumping together while their friends start to joke amongst each other. Kuroko feels his nails dig into his palm as Bokuto picks Kotomi up by the waist spinning her while she's grinning radiantly. Were they mocking him…? Showing him what he couldn't have with her, because _they_ took her away? Her eyes seems to flicker over to Kuroko for a moment, and she leans in and whispers to something into Bokuto's ear.

His brow furrows in confusion and worry, but she pats him on the chest, nodding as she slowly pulls away from him.

"Just trust me, Kou." Without waiting for him to respond, she turns on her heel and suddenly starts making her way over to Kuroko. His teammates immediately tense as she comes closer, but Kuroko is standing up and walking toward before his mind can even comprehend what he's doing. He wanted to just grab her and throw her into the copter so they could go home and talk about this, but he could feel the pressure from her bodyguards from several feet away. They were almost like territorial animals. But he had no intention of actually acting on his desires.

Her touch was all he needed, even it was just the tip of her blade. Perhaps he deserved it, after all. But he stops in his tracks when not a blade, but an empty hand is thrust into his direction. He looks up at Kotomi with uncertainty, but she only smiles hesitantly and moves her hand a bit closer.

"Kuroko, don't do it." Despite Kagami's worry, Kuroko reaches out and takes her hand. He could feel the callouses she's built over the years on her once dainty, flawless hands. She steps closer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder, allowing him to place a hand on her waist. Awkwardly they both sway to the beat a little, stiff and unprepared for this almost cathartic interaction. Oikawa spots this, and immediately moves to shove his way in between them both, but His finds himself pinned to the ground and trapped in a headlock by Kuroo and Bokuto.

"Get off me," He cries. "He's putting his hands all over her!"

"I think she needs this," Iwaizmu admits. "Though I'm not happy with it either."

"I don't think I liked it with Bokuto-san, either."

"AKaaaSHI! What's wrong with me!?"

"You're all thumbs."

"I was trying to cheer her up!"

"By dropping her?"

"Like you guys could dance any better!"

"Let me go and I'll show you! Kotori-chan and I have great chemistry as dance partners!" Kotomi sighs in exasperation. She could barely hear the music. Kuroko watches her expressions with unguarded fondness. Was she really not being manipulated, after all?

"Kotomi-chan…"

"I can't go back, Kuroko." Kotomi reads him immediately, shaking her head with an exasperated sigh.

"Don't you miss your home?"

"It's not my home anymore, Tetsuya. And I don't miss the way you guys were acting around me while I was there." She responds. "I won't go home and be a house pet again." Kuroko's face falls as she reaches the end of her admission, but his eyes widen in shock at the role she gives herself.

"A…house pet…? Is that what you think of yourself?"

"You tried to keep me in the house, but because I knew how to open the door, Akashi locked me in my _own_ room. And when that didn't work, you _all_ threw me into a cell. I didn't have freedom with you. My only job was to sit and be pretty while everyone did work for me, is that not what a house pet is!?" Kuroko stops dancing and pulls away from her, clearly frustrated.

"How can that be _bad?"_ He asks, hands out and open with his palms toward the sky, as if the answer would come floating down from the heavens. "There are people in this world who have never known safety or peace, but you always seem to yearn for war! Why do you look for danger, Kotomi? You've always been like that!" She fights the tremble of her bottom lip. She rarely cried anymore but seeing that he didn't understand her was so, so frustrating.

"Because I don't want to be helpless if you guys get hurt."

"What happened to having faith in us?"

"Is it so wrong to want to help in my way? Satsuki was able to help you."

"Satsuki's job keeps her safe."

"I felt safer when you guys _weren't_ around back then." She raises her voice a little too loud for her liking, and Kotomi is suddenly all too aware of the eyes on them. She wished she didn't have to do this in front of everyone. "At least I didn't have to worry about waking up _locked_ in my room."

"I didn't know Akashi was going to do that."

"And the prison?"

"You aided in the escape of _terrorists._ They bombed our city and you helped them. You could have been executed, but we were able to protect you."

"I didn't need protecting! I'm not nearly as helpless as you think I am, Tetsuya!"

"You're not helpless, you're just reckless! We put you away to protect you from yourself!" Riko suddenly marches in between them and pushes them away from each other, as Kuroko was almost pushing up against Kotomi. The two had been slowly coming closer and closer to each other, the more heated the argument became.

"Stop! Nobody wants to see your soap opera. Cool off, you two!" Kuroko's brow is furrowed, and his lips are pursed, but Kotomi heeds Riko's demand, storming awa. Before she walks away, she looks back at Kuroko with a tired exasperation and dejection.

"I can't go back to that place if I never had a spot beside all of you in the first place." Without another word, she walks briskly, past Oikawa and into one of the tents to be alone. The brunette immediately attends to her, while Iwaizumi chooses to glare at Kuroko. The assassin clenches his fists so tightly it stung as he swallows hard.

"I'm sorry, I can't…I won't accept that. That's not what it is…"

"Geez, all this because she's choosing to be so dramatic…" Kagami says in disbelief, running his fingers through his two-tone colored hair.

"Kagami-kun…" His pity for his friend turns to ice as he reexamines the look in Kuroko's eyes, swallowing hard as powder blue meets dark red.

"I need your help with something."

* * *

 _Thunk._

 _Thunk._

 _Thunk._

Oikawa enters the tent, sighing a little as he spots Kotomi sitting in the corner of the tent, chucking throwing knives at a box across from her.

"Kotori-chan, what are you doing? You're being mean to the box-" _Whhzzt!_ Oikawa narrowly dodges the throwing knife tossed his way with a squawk of terror, the blade tearing through the tent with a ripping sound. "Hey! Don't just lose knives, please!" Instead of returning his ire, Kotomi holds out an arm for him, her silent request for comfort. Oikawa is quick to honor her request, walking over and sitting beside her, blushing slightly as she rests her head on his shoulder.

 _I want to be happy that she's so comfortable with me, but…I'm a man, and she's the woman I…_ Oikawa shakes his head and wraps his arm around her, bringing her close to him and nuzzling her right back, sighing. There was no time to be thinking about stuff like that.

"This is why you should have just danced with me."

"I've been trying for years to get passed this, but it feels like ripping through an old wound. I thought maybe after all this time, he would have…thought about why I did what I did." Oikawa looks slightly concerned. He had hoped that she would have forgotten all about them by now, but he supposed such bonds were not so easily broken.

"I don't think he will ever understand why you did what you did. And, if I were him, I don't think I would want to."

"Tetsuya isn't as stupid as you." Oikawa rests his chin on her shoulder, pressing the sharp end into her shoulder so that she grunts softly in pain, earning him a smack on the leg.

"People do stupid things when they love someone." Oikawa suddenly stands up, scooping his arms under her legs and holding her close to his chest as she squeals in shock, arms wrapping tightly around his shoulders. "But there's no time for that! Let's get back and eat some food and train a bit!"

"O-Okay! Just put me down!"

"Nope! This is for throwing that knife at me!"

"Tooru!"

"Ahaha, Kotori-chan, getting all angry like that makes me want to tease you even more!"

" _Shittykawa!"_

"We think it's best for the both of our teams if we just parted ways here." Hyuga explains to Daichi at the edge of their makeshift boundary. "We'll reset this area, and whoever returns here first can lay claim."

"I agree. I don't think every battle necessarily has to end with violence." Daichi nods and the two shake hands. Kotomi breathes a soft sigh of relief while she stands next to Oikawa and Iwaizumi. The latter glances at her from the side.

"You okay now?" She glances right back at him, realizing that she may have caused the others to worry quite a bit. They all knew who Kuroko was and what this reunion meant to her, even if it didn't end the way she had hoped.

"Yes, sorry."

"Don't let it get to you," Akaashi offers, reaching up to fix her hair, curling a lock around his palm and pushing it behind her ear. Kotomi instantly relaxes. Akaashi was always so good at soothing her frayed nerves, with his sonorous voice and gentle touch. "You don't have to go anywhere if you don't want to. You decide where your place is."

Kotomi smiles at this and nods, feeling a little more secure in herself. She glances at Kuroko, her eyes meeting his from across the camp. She always felt like his stare was intense, but she's never felt it like this before. In their childhood his eyes were like needles, but right now they were drills boring into her soul. He obviously had much more to say, but she was done listening. Instead, her eyes find Riko and Kiyoshi, who are standing near the border. Kotomi approaches her. She bore no ill will with these two. Such is war, they just happened to end up on opposite sides. Riko seems to think the same, because she smiles when Kotomi approaches.

"You sure you won't come home?" Kotomi offers a weak smile. She did miss the two of them. They were also a huge part of her growth, and it didn't feel good to face off with them. The next time, things may not end so favorably.

"Afraid not, Riko-senpai."

"Just Riko. You're not my subordinate anymore, and I definitely didn't teach you how to take down Teppei."

"He taught me how to bring him down." Kotomi giggles, and RIko follows suit.

"That does sound like him…" Riko suddenly throws her arms around the young girl and squeezes her tightly, her face falling. Kotomi blushes slightly and returns the hug, sighing in contentment.

"You always have an ally with me, Kotomi-chan. Just remember that. I won't ever fight you. You can trust me." As Riko pulls away, the two share a genuine smile, only to be interrupted when Kiyoshi slaps a hand over her head, which surprises her.

"It's so good to see you so healthy and happy, Kotomi-chan! Let's hope we meet again, someday!"

"We might be enemies next time, Kiyoshi-senpai…"

"Ahaha! Then let's have fun while we face off, yeah? I won't be caught off guard again!" Kotomi grins at this, punching the brunette's shoulder.

"We'll see about that!"

"We're so friendly with the rebels," Furihata, one of the newer trainees, murmurs. The other two rookies nod in unison, brows furrowed with confusion. "Is this really okay?"

"Oi, brats!" Bokuto puts his hands on his hips as he puffs his chest out, effectively intimidating them with his glinting grin. "We ain't rebels! We're the SDPA, got that!?"

"Y-Yes, sir…"

"Bokuto-san, you shouldn't terrorize children."

"Bokuto's so annoying~"

"You guys are supposed to be on _my_ side!" Bokuto rages at Kuroo and Akaashi, the latter two covering their ears while he whines at a volume louder than is appropriate for their proximity. Kotomi watches them interact, giggling to herself.

"Kotomi-chan." Her smile fades when she turns to face the powder-blue haired man, who seems downtrodden as he approaches her. "I suppose this is goodbye again." Slowly, she nods.

"I hope it's for good this time. I don't want to fight you at all, Tetsuya. But I will if I have to." Kuroko offers a sad smile, holding up a hand. Kotomi wastes no time in reaching up and layering her own hand over his, lacing their fingers together.

"I could never really fight you, Kotomi-chan. I hope we don't ever have cross paths like that again." He reaches up and caresses a lock of her hair, running his fingers through it in a familiar way. "I miss seeing you in your long hair." Kotomi rolls her eyes a bit.

"That's not practical." A small exhale that sounds almost like a laugh escapes Kuroko's mouth as he nods in agreement.

"But I hope the day comes when you can grow it out without a worry, again." She nods, reluctantly stepping away.

"Maybe I will, once these silly wars end." Kuroko only offers her a final nod before turning back to his team, helping load back into the helicopter. Kotomi feels a rumble of unease in her stomach. It didn't seem right that Kuroko would just give up so easily. Even as children, he was surprisingly stubborn for how quiet he was. But perhaps the war had changed him. Trying to ignore it, Kotomi makes her way back to the main tent, unaware of the eyes set on her.

"Oi." Kagami approaches Kuroo, carrying two stacks of boxes. "This is yours." Kuroo tilts his head in confusion with a raised brow as Kagami drops it into his arms, letting the dark-haired man hold them now.

"What's this?"

"Old technology. We need more room in the copter and we don't need these outdated models." Kagami smiles mockingly. "I'm sure you guys need them more, right?" Kuroo only offers a friendly smile, taking the boxes and setting them aside.

"I'm surprised someone like you can tell the difference." The smile disappears from Kagami's face, but only grows on Kuroo. The cat Captain would be damned if he let some guy named _Taiga_ look down on them. But he wasn't going to divulge that they actually had much more developed models on their base. Kagami opens his mouth to retort, but then grunts angrily, turning away to head back. Kuroo walks over to the main tent, where everyone was gathered, setting the boxes down.

"What's in here?" Iwaizumi asks. "Let me help."

"Old gadgets. Seems like they think we don't have any newer models of their blueprints." Kuroo responds while Iwaizumi nods with satisfaction.

"Good, let's keep it that way."

"Want me to help you open it?"

"Is your arm okay?'

"Kotomi helped me relocate it, so I'm fine. Could use the stretch." The two take down the boxes, one to each, pulling on the covers. Riko sees them, tilting her head in confusion as she recognizes the boxes.

 _That's what I brought the new equipment in, isn't it?_ She turns to ask Kagami what he was doing, but she is even more confused when she realizes Kuroko and Kagami had their masks pulled over their noses. Kuroko's eyes are trained on Kotomi, who is sitting in proximity of the box with who she believes is a young man named Akaashi. Realization dawns on her features and she immediately pulls her mask over nose as she darts forward.

"Kotomi-chan—!" The top of the box practically flies off the top, unlocking some unseen mechanism that releases a heavy, thick gas in the air. She reels back, eyes widening as she could see the silhouettes of the SDPA dropping, collapsing unconscious.

* * *

Kuroko moves easily through the clouds. It was a special concoction he had Momoi make just for him. It made his work easier when he was still squeamish about killing, since they couldn't tug his heartstrings by begging for their lives. He hadn't used it in years, but he still remembered how to rig a box or two with it.

Stepping over the bodies of the collapsing rebels, Kuroko finally finds his target. At the very last second, Akaashi had noticed the cloud of gas, trying to cover Kotomi with his own body in fear it was some chemical. Kuroko purses his lips and quickly moves the man's arm from the unconscious Kotomi, carefully scooping her up into his arms.

 _I appreciate you trying to protect her, but she'll be safest at home with us._ Kuroko cups her cheek, tracing the contours of her face with his thumb and smiling beneath the mask. He feels someone grab his ankle and he looks down in shock. Someone was still awake?

"Don't…you…" It was the brunette, his eyes are fading in and out of consciousness, and his grip is weak. He wouldn't be conscious for long. Still, it was impressive that he reacted fast enough to have avoided a good dose. "Give her back…" Kuroko purses his lips. He had been in the same position 6 years ago, and they took her all the same.

"Thank you for watching over her, but I'll be bringing her home, now. As thanks, I will let you all live for now." He pulls away as Oikawa finally loses consciousness, head dropping. Kuroko disappears into the dissipating smoke. Hyuga and the others watch, having pulled their masks up in time to avoid inhaling the sleep gas themselves.

"Oi, Kuroko! What the hell—"

"Captain, please ready the helicopter." Kuroko orders as he emerges from the haze, cradling the young woman to his chest. Riko and Kiyoshi share shocked concern, unsure of how to address this unplanned rescue. Or was it a kidnapping?

"Kuroko-kun…" The assassin's expression is unreadable, but he's holding the young woman in his arms securely, as if afraid something would swoop in and take her again.

"We're going home."

* * *

 _"Kotomi-chan, Kotomi-chan…open your eyes, please…" The first thing she notices is the sniffles filling the room. And then the pain. Her entire body was so sore, but why? Suddenly, images come back to her in heavy lights and flashes inside her head._

 _That's right, she had been playing tag with Kuroko and the others. Trying to escape Akashi, she climbed up a tree, but slipped on the way down. This time, Kuroko wasn't there to catch her. That explains her pounding head._

 _"Owch…" There are several collective gasps as she feels someone throw themselves across her body, earning yet another cry of pain. Kise is bawling, tiny fists digging into his eyes while he sobs and wails._

 _"She's alive, Kotomicchi is alive!" Kotomi reaches up to touch her forehead, moaning in pain at the soreness of her head._

 _"Ryota-kun!" The in-house doctor peels the blonde off her bed, holding him under her arm. "Be careful!" As Kotomi looks around, she realizes that all of her friends were there, and they were all crying. Momoi is holding her head, rubbing her cheek on a bandaged palm. Murasakibara was piling snacks next to her head, hiccupping. Aomine is glaring at her, while Midorima is holding more bandages and rubbing alcohol, glasses askew, and eyes filled with tears._

 _"Kotomi, you dummy!" Momoi cries, whimpering quietly._

 _"You were too reckless again, nanodayo! You didn't even have your Lucky Item!"_

 _"I thought Tetsu told you to be careful, dumbass!"_

 _"Daiki-kun, language!" Kotomi feels a hand over her forehead, and looks right into the eyes of Akashi, who is the most concerned she's ever seen him, but he's smiling warmly._

 _"Sorry, it's noisy, isn't it? Let me know if you'd like everyone to leave so you can rest." Kotomi smiles happily, cheeks turning pink at the affection. She slowly shakes her head, sighing happily._

 _"No, I'm happy."_

 _"Kotomi-chan…" She glances past Akashi, spotting the powder-blue haired boy crying quietly in the corner. "Are you okay…?" Kotomi nods slowly, holding out her hand. He presses his own palm against hers, lacing their fingers together._

 _"I'm sorry, I broke my promise."_

 _"It's my fault, I'm sorry." Kuroko admits. "I wasn't there to catch you."_

 _"But I'm the one who climbed the tree…"_

 _"That's okay for you to make mistakes and forget…but I want to be there to catch you. So, I'm sorry…" Kotomi smiles gently, shaking her head._

 _"You're weird, Tetsuya-kun."_

 _"Kotomicchi!" Kise grabs her face and turns it toward him, his tears dripping all over her face. "Does it hurt!? It's gotta hurt, right? It's super painful? The most pain ever!?" Kotomi blinks at Kise, her eyes wide and seeming to see right through him._

 _"No."_

 _She knew things in this world were more painful than this._

 _But if they were to ask her what, she wouldn't be able to say._

* * *

Kotomi's eyes are blurry and her head is heavy when she wakes up. It takes several minutes for her to recognize the bright lights of the medical center…in the Citadel. Kotomi shoots up, but her arm protests in pain as she looks back. She panics when she realizes that her right arm had been handcuffed to the bed. The shiny new metal glaring back at her, mockingly.

"I'm sorry," Kotomi's head whips around to see the handsome, dark-haired man whose straight locks obscure one of his eyes. He has a beauty mark under the visible one. With pale skin, silver eyes, and an athletic build, Kotomi couldn't help but admire him in her bewilderment. "But Kuroko-kun requested that I keep you restrained."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Himuro. And _you're_ Koto-chin." Kotomi's brows rise, and she feels her heart skip a beat.

"You know Atsushi-kun."

"I know all of the Generals, actually. We trained together, with Taiga." Kotomi sits up as best she can, glaring at him.

"Your Taiga friend helped kidnap me."

"Rescue you." Kotomi opens her mouth to protest, but shuts it, looking down. If she couldn't even convince people she grew up with, how could she convince a stranger? What was she supposed to do, now? Suddenly, she remembers something that Kiyoko had said to her about being a woman in a world of war.

 _"Brute force isn't the only thing women are capable of. That's the difference between us and men. Underestimation is our greatest weapon."_ Kotomi smiles to herself, then takes a deep breath, letting her voice take on a tired quality.

"It's useless," She begins slow, knowing that Himuro's eyes were on her, now. "They're going to try and get me back. And they'll stop at nothing. I'm valuable to them, after all." She hears movement from the other side of the room, and suddenly Himuro is at her side, sitting at the chair.

"Is that why you were refusing help?" He asks quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder. Kotomi doesn't look at him.

"I just didn't want them to get hurt for my sake, anymore." To some degree it was true that she didn't want to hurt them, so it aids in her sincerity, even if its pretense was a lie. Himuro seems convinced, since he rubs his thumb into her shoulder. He was quite touchy…

"Don't worry. I'm sure they're just happy you're home now. We can worry about all that later. For now, I think you should rest." Kotomi glances up at him through her lashes, smiling softly.

"Thank you, Himuro-san." There it was. The pink coloring of his cheek as he returns the smile and hastily removes his hand. She was aware that she was cute. Oikawa and the others never failed to remind her. Of all the freedoms they granted her, self-deprecation was not one she was allowed to practice. That being said, using her looks to manipulate someone didn't feel all too pleasant for her dignity, but she needed to facilitate her escape by playing into their perceptions of her.

"Of course. Any friend of Atsushi's is a friend of mine. That being said, it sure is surreal to have finally met you."

"Do you think so? They didn't say anything embarrassing, did they?"

"Well, they sure were right about you being cute." Kotomi blinks and holds her cheeks as she looks away, shaking her head.

"T-that's a little weird from someone who is supposed to be my enemy." Himuro laughs a bit.

"Well, I hope that we can move on from that while you get used to being in the Citadel." Kotomi lets her face fall a little, and she wrings her hands. She glanced up and saw Himuro's lips slightly pursed and his gaze on her handcuff. Could she convince him to undo her restraints?

"Himuro-san…I…do you think I'll get in trouble for the things I've done? I…I helped them a lot." Her shoulders hunch and she shrinks a little like a child sitting in time out.

"You were manipulated. I think that Akashi can help your case. But you'll probably have some kind of punishment. Though, if it were me, I think I would forgive you." Kotomi smiles at this and giggles, pushing some hair behind her ear. She could feel Himuro watching her every move like a hawk.

"You're too nice of a person, I think." She glances at him again, then away. Himuro seems to shift in discomfort as he stands up.

"Can I get you something to eat or drink?" Kotomi follows him with her gaze.

"Could you stay with me? I'm a little scared to face Akashi and the others by myself, and…well, I somehow feel at ease with you." She offers him another smile, which has him flushing a bit more, and he sits back down.

"Okay, I can do that." He tenses as Kotomi takes his hand, squeezing it. Himuro finds himself staring at her for a long moment, but then the door opens. Kotomi inadvertently squeezes his hand tighter, actually nervous. Himuro squeezes her hand tightly in response. Kagami walks in, and she lets out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

"Yo, Tatsuya. Princess." Kotomi twitches slightly and she flushes in embarrassment.

"Please don't call me that." Kagami ignores her, continuing to talk.

"We went to a lot of trouble to get you back here." Kotomi nods slowly.

"I wish I could say thank you, or that I'm glad you managed to succeed." Kagami's eyes float down to Kotomi and Himuro's hands, raising a two-pronged brow.

"You seem surprisingly okay with being here, now." Kotomi refuses to meet his gaze, but not because she was trying to be submissive. He saw the way she acted out there, and so he would be less likely to believe that she was _entirely_ helpless.

"Would you rather I scream and throw things?"

"I'm just shocked, is all."

"I don't know what I can do about this situation.."

"Even though you threatened to kill Kuroko?" Kotomi twitches, holding her hand to her chest as she takes a deep breath. Himuro looks at her now with raised brows.

"If I didn't threaten, or if I showed interest in going home, a fight surely would have broken out. And…I still think of them as my family. I just…I thought I knew I was right. I tried to stay with what I believed in. Even now, I'm not sure what to think. Where do I belong, now?" Kagami seems to falter on his accusations at this, while Himuro nods in understanding.

"I'm sure it's confusing, being with them for so long." Kotomi nods eagerly, letting Himuro fill in the blanks, but Kagami doesn't seem completely convinced with her answers.

"Why did you even leave in the first place?" Kotomi feel her stomach churn a bit in discomfort. She didn't want to revisit her feelings on leaving them behind, but…lies were harder to spot when they were intertwined with notes of truth.

"I…wanted to be a medic for them. I wanted to fight for a future with them. I thought I had as much a right to it as they did. And I thought they would support me on it."

"But you did become a medic, didn't you?" Kagami asks, sitting down now. Himuro was listening to her intently as well.

"For a time. But they disagreed with me becoming a field medic. I fought them on it. I acted like a brat and whined and stomped my feet. But I think that just made me look naïve to them. So they pulled me out of the medic program. I should say that Seijirou pulled me out, but the others agreed." Now, Kagami has gone completely silent. He didn't even know it was possible to be pulled out of a military track, but he supposed if anyone could do it, it would be Akashi.

"When I refused to sit still, they locked me in my room. And when I escaped, they locked me in a cell. I realized then that I didn't have the same rights of them. They wanted to keep me locked away like some collectible that they could access whenever they pleased. Akashi even wanted me to marry him so that he could keep me wrapped around his finger." This earned a choked sound from Kagami. It was hard for him to imagine a guy like Akashi settling down and choosing a woman, having darling little children and living in his big house with all his money. And this girl didn't seem at all like housewife to him, either.

"And…you didn't want that?"

"So I could sit in my pretty little dresses, in my pretty little house, and wait until they all got injured or killed?" She stares emptily at the ceiling. "What's the point in a life like that?"

"There is no point."

"Exactly." Kagami looks down. He still didn't agree with her fully, but he understood her frustration. His eyes float over to her cuffed hand. They really were keeping her under lock and key.

"But isn't it safer for someone like you?"

Kotomi sits up, looking Kagami in the eyes. He tenses as he sees her focus on something beyond him, as if she's floating further and further away into the past the more she talks about it.

"I'm _not_ weak. I can fight. I can defend, and I won't hesitate to _kill,_ either. Not because I want to, but because I have to. But…I don't want to, anymore." She bows her head, but Kagami recognizes that look in her eyes. "But…how am I supposed to prove I deserve a place beside them? No, even just a place behind them would have been okay." Her chest starts to ache as she remembers the frustration she felt when they denied her the right to help them.

"They wanted me to sit and wait for them to get hurt. And they _did_ get hurt, but I wasn't there, and I couldn't be there, because they wouldn't let me in. I just wanted a place beside them…I just wanted to be with them." Kotomi takes a shaky breath.

Suddenly, she was just a young woman again. Not the enemy, like he saw her just minutes ago. He understood her, because he had been the same way at one point. A helpless child who wanted to _do_ something about the world he lived in. To be denied those things, without even being given a chance to prove herself. If Alex had turned him down for training, or Himuro had died while he was at home…how would he have been able to cope?

"Kotomi…" Himuro says quietly and in disbelief.

"So, if you want to ask me why I left, it's because Tooru and the others taught me what a real family is. It wasn't just all happiness. We can't appreciate joy without experiencing heartbreak, too. We lost friends together, cried together. I held their hands and carried them through battlefields, and they woke me up from my nightmares of the people I couldn't save after the battles. We _suffered,_ but because of that, I understood that even when suffering is unavoidable, there's still _something_ left. I loved the feeling of being a part of something and feeling like the things I did mattered. I'm sorry, I'll endure any punishment I'm given."

Kotomi stops there, closing her eyes. Now that she was talking about it, she didn't feel like it hurt nearly much as she thought it would. She felt many things. Frustration at their actions. Anger at her helplessness. Grief for the childhood she yearned for. But when she thought of seeing them again and facing her past, she felt…

She feels a hand on her head, and she looks up to meet Himuro's eyes as he smiles comfortingly. Though he doesn't say a word, Kotomi knows he feels something about her story. She merely closes her eyes and lets him ruffle her hair, though she doesn't feel the same reassurance as she would feel if it were Iwaizumi or Akaashi. Then, she hears the doors open once more. Kagami and Himuro stand up and her heart sinks into her stomach as she hears a familiar female voice.

"Koto-chan…?" The nickname so lovingly given to her felt much more lackluster than she was expecting. Slowly, Kotomi turns her head to look at the newcomer in the room. She feels her stomach turn cold as she makes a slow, and frightening realization. They were all much taller, stronger, and older. They were all watching her as if she was just risen from the dead. She tugs on her handcuff and looks to Himuro.

"Take these off?" Himuro does as she asks and allows Kotomi to get on her feet, but she's knocked right back onto the bed by the flash of pink as Momoi tackles her, hiding her face in Kotomi's chest. Hair is still long and shiny and pink, and she's even more beautiful than when Kotomi left her. Nothing like how Kotomi herself turned out, covered in sun-kissed scars and marks and stains of dirt that never seemed to go away completely. Momoi sobs as she holds Kotomi so tight it was hard to breathe, but Kotomi let her cry her heart out, patting her back with a soft laugh.

"There there, Sa-chan…"

"It's really you, isn't it? You really are alive…"

"I thought Kuroko was just delusional, but it is you, Fujisaki." Midorima murmurs, clutching the paper umbrella close to his chest. His hair was slicked down and parted to the side, but he still wore the same glasses and taped his fingers. Aomine's hair is a little longer, growing just past his ears. He's speechless, his mouth having fallen open in shock. He had shot up in height these last several years, now challenging Midorima in height. He had been so sure that she would have died out there. All of them were. Murasakibara is not eating for once, dropping his snacks to the ground.

"No way, Koto-chin…" If she didn't know him any better, it seemed like he would almost cry, but he holds himself together quite well. Kise, on the other hand…

"Kotomicchi!" He throws himself onto her as well, his hands holding her back the back of her head and by the waist. He was so much taller, as evidenced by him lifting her up in the air and holding onto by her waist and the back of her head. "Kotomicchi…" Her shoulder suddenly feels wet. Her eyes search the faces of the others, looking for the heterochromatic gaze of the 6th general. Instead, her gaze meets Kuroko's. He looks rather disturbed as Kise cries and embraces her, and she had a feeling she knew why.

The mood was light-hearted and joyful. Everyone was either smiling or crying, and Kagami was teasing Midorima and Aomine for their unusual show of emotion. Himuro retrieved a tissue for Murasakibara, who _insisted_ he wasn't crying. Kise was complaining about Kotomi's scars and lamenting over her short hair. It was almost nostalgic, but with new faces, under new circumstances. It spelled hope for things to go back to the way they were. It's all she had wanted. It's all they had wanted, too. And this was the first time it finally felt like things could go back to normal. And yet Kotomi felt a chilling fear at the only thought that forms in her head, rising above all the other emotions swirling around in her chest.

 _What a nuisance_.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Oh my! Were you expecting a reaction like that from Kotomi, after all she's been through? Is she overreacting? Is she justified? What to you think?**_

 _ **Please favorite and/or review to let me know what you think! And answer the poll that's available on my profile! Until next time!**_

 _ **Love,**_

 _ **Silky**_


	10. Interruptions

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases._**

 **Reviews:**

Aphremis C : HAHAHA, I'm glad you're enjoying it! This was utterly too kind. I hope I'm not causing too much of a disruption when you're in public. I'm just getting started here, so hang on tight! There's so much to uncover. As for who Kotomi might end up with, well, truth is I haven't quite figured it out yet. I feel like I don't want to force an end pairing, and I want the events of the story to lead up to the end game (hehe). It's not going to be obvious as someone from Haikyuu. I love my basketball boys, so they're going to get a redemption arc, which will put them on equal standing. However…a KotomixEveryone Crack!Ending might come along, just u wait hehe. Thanks for your review!

 ** _Thanks to_** AphremisC, Bibahhh, minnaterek, Aomine, and KorosuPoison **_for the follows!_**

 ** _Thanks to_** Aphremis C, Ninjallama1998, TheCrazyFangirl48, and bibahhh ** _for the favorite!_**

 ** _ENJOY!_**

 ** _CW: Dubious consent and just a sprinkle of violence_**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Interruptions**

" _Shit! Shit! Shit! This is shit!"_ Oikawa kicks a box of supplies over, earning him a fist to the back of his head from an equally incensed Iwaizumi.

"Shut up! You're not helping!" He roars, but this time Oikawa doesn't back down, slamming his forehead against his best friends'.

"No, you shut up! We should have just killed them all when we ambushed them! We shouldn't have trusted any of those assholes!" Most of the others were still recovering from the surprise barrage of sleep gas, their heads spinning and their stomachs queasy, but the yelling and panic certainly wasn't helping.

"Calm down," Daichi insists, stilling holding the receiver to his ear. He had been the furthest away from the source of the gas and was the first to wake up. He was in contact with headquarters at the moment, but he could barely hear the orders from the other end with the two screaming at each other. "We'll get her back."

"Who are you calling!? We have to go to the Citadel right now! Before her stupid friends get to her, first." Oikawa grounds out, already picking up his weapon and sheathing his fallen knife. "Where are the grenades? I'll blow them up for good, this time!" Bokuto punches the ground in anger, gritting his teeth. Normally, Akaashi would be there to calm the Owl Captain, but he is too busy glaring at his own hands.

 _She was with me. I had her in my arms._ He grits his teeth and clenches his fists tightly. Kuroo is the only one completely calm, surveying the scene and everyone's reactions.

"We can't just barge into the Citadel screaming her name and hoping she comes running to us." While he reasons, Oikawa is still charging around, arming himself to the teeth.

"Of course we can!" Oikawa insists heatedly. "We've done it a thousand times! We did it when we rescued her the first time!"

"It was the very first time a group of outsiders staged an all-out assault on them in almost half a century when we busted Kotomi out. We've been raiding them for the last 6 years, and they're starting to catch onto our tricks. This time they'll see us coming, for sure. And they'll definitely make sure we're dead long before we even get a glimpse of Little Bird."

"Besides, we still have injured here." Akaashi adds, gesturing to the recovering captured, those who were conscious and able to walk tending to their less than fortunate comrades. Oikawa bears his teeth and stomps his foot childishly, while Iwaizumi scoffs. The Gorilla Captain was an idiot and endlessly insolent, but they knew Oikawa agreed. As worried as they were about Kotomi, these people were also their family.

"Then…what do we do? I can't wait until we're ready to go get her."

"We won't. We'll wait until _she's_ ready for us to get her." All eyes fall on Kuroo in varying levels of confusion, except for Akaashi, who seems to realize what he meant very quickly. "We know her even better than they do, now. And we know that idiot won't sit down and wait. Better yet, they probably underestimate her, because they haven't seen what she can do." A cat-like grin splits Kuroo's lips. Oikawa's eyes widen and her laughs in disbelief after a moment.

"That's right, isn't it…?" Our little bird is far more than just a hummingbird, after all."

"So we'll wait on the sidelines, then." Iwaizumi joins in, nodding firmly. "And when she's done what she needs to do, we'll be there to help her out." Bokuto jumps up, grinning wide.

"Hey, hey, hey! Well, what are we waiting for!? We have to restock our ammo and be ready for her to call for us..!"

"That won't be necessary." All eyes turn to Daichi as he hangs up with headquarters. He looks up, eyes staring straight ahead. "The help is coming to us."

* * *

Kotomi didn't think she would be sitting on her old bed, her old room, ever again. Her old books still smelled of that lavender oil that Aomine knocked over while looking for her homework to copy. Her stuffed animals were still pristine, sitting on her made bed like they were waiting for her to return home from classes or a day at the medical center. Even her desk was scattered with study notes and her colored pens that Kuroko bought for her birthday. A bag of candy that Murasakibara traded with her for a limited-edition popsicle flavor that a boy gave her during lunch sits on her desk, long expired.

 _They never touched my room after I left…_ Kotomi concludes as she hugs her old rabbit plush, even biting its ear like she used to when she was deep in thought. She was…supposed to be happy now, wasn't she? When Kise hugged her, when Momoi cried. Aomine ruffled her hair like usual and Murasakibara handed her a snack. Midorima went on to nag her about her health, worrying about the scars on her arms and saying he would give her an ointment for it. It was all like it used to be. So why didn't she feel glad? Or happy? Why did this all seem like a bother to her?

Her answer came in the mental image of her collapsed friends, laying strewn about the dirt like trash. The injured still bleeding, bones still broken. That's why she felt empty. As familiar as they seemed, the people who _kidnapped_ her were strangers and nothing more. She felt nothing for them and the circumstances under which they reunited. And the moment she could, she was getting out of here. The door opens and Kotomi jumps, having been in such deep thought that she doesn't even realize someone is in her room until the cherry pink is in her peripheral vision.

"Are you hungry?" Momoi asks softly, carrying a tray of tea and cookies, just like old times. Kotomi offers a small smile and pats the spot on the bed beside her. Momoi obliges, setting the tray on her night stand.

"Where are the boys?"

"Tetsu-kun is reporting to Akashi-kun. Everyone else is too shy to come see you." Kotomi raises a brow in confusion. Her silent question is answered moments later. "They never stopped thinking about the way you left us. I think they're still processing, and they're worried about what Akashi-kun will say about who you were with." Kotomi gnaws on her bottom lip a moment.

"Will he be mad, do you think?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen him mad in years…but I think he'll be happy to see you." Kotomi takes a deep breath. Akashi would be her greatest obstacle, and that's not even including his father. Should she avoid contact, or initiate it? She needed to be able to see what he was up to. Momoi watches her with worry in her eyes, suddenly wrapping her arms around her dear friend and holding her tight.

"Koto-chan…I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…" Kotomi blinks a few times, eyes widened in confusion. "I should have tried harder for you. I should have fought for them to go looking for you. I should have noticed lock on your door much earlier, I—"

"Satsuki-chan, that was six years ago. I'm not dead and I'm here, aren't I?" Kotomi takes her by the shoulders, holding her tightly as she sighs in feigned exasperation. "There was nothing you could have done."

"You're…not mad?" Kotomi does feel a stirring in her heart at this. She hugs Momoi tightly, nuzzling her shoulder.

"I think you should be mad at me, actually. Maybe if I had told you about my friends, let you meet them, you would have been able to help in some way. Your weird Satsuki kind of way." Momoi seems uncertain about her response.

"You're still defending them? Even though they kidnapped you?"

"You don't know them, Sa-chan. They weren't awful to me or anything."

"But they had you fight people, kill people."

"I chose to do that when I had to. It's a part of war."

"But you wouldn't have had to if they hadn't taken you away."

"If I had stayed, I would have been locked away in a room for the rest of my life." Momoi stops at this, looking down at her lap. Even she couldn't deny that that wouldn't have been the case. Kotomi hugs her plush closer, staring at her bare legs. She hadn't worn skirts in so long. She had to borrow one of Momoi's since none of her clothes from her teenaged years fit her anymore. She was much fuller on the bottom and top.

"Are you planning to run away?" Kotomi doesn't panic. There's no way Momoi could have read her that easily. She learned her Poker face from Akaashi, after all. It was an innocent question that Kotomi takes in stride with a shake of her head.

"Even though I was brought here against my will…I…I'm willing to listen and compromise. I understand that I was acting like a naïve child back then. But now I understand a little better what they went through." Momoi's eyes light up with hope, and Kotomi feels another wave of guilt.

"You really mean it?"

"I just don't want to be locked up again. Anything but that…so as long as they're willing to hear me out, I think I'll try to stay." She looks back at Momoi and is surprised to see the pink-haired beauty's eyes filled with tears.

"Koto-chan!" The pink-haired girl lunges forward to hug her again. "We'll be together forever, won't we?" Kotomi stares at the wall ahead of her, emptiness in her cornflower blue hues.

"Yes, together forever…"

* * *

Walking down the halls felt a little more nostalgic, at least. Kotomi runs her hands across the fine wallpaper of the Akashi estate, remembering how she used to do the same playing blind hide and seek to keep herself on the right paths. One of the many games played in these halls. She stops when she comes across a long hallway of family portraits of each Akashi family head, proud and dignified in portraiture as they are in life. Kotomi walks until she stands before the heir himself. His portrait was made on his 18th birthday. He was strong and handsome, his crimson red hair much like his mothers, what Kotomi could remember of her. But his dual-gaze of red and gold still sent shivers down her spine, even in painting form. Akashi had yet to greet her, and it was making her uneasy.

But her eyes then fall on the portrait to the right of the young Akashi's, and a smile graces Kotomi's lips. Her fingers ghost over the long, crimson hair that ended far past her shoulders and cascaded down her back. He kind eyes were the color of roses, lacking the hardness of her son and husband. Her rosy red lips were curved upward in a sweet and serene smile. Kotomi remembers fondly how Akashi Shiori looked, and how warmly the young woman treated all of them. Like they were her own. The only hardship Kotomi ever knew was Shiori's death. It was also the one time she saw Akashi cry.

 _What would you say, Miss Shiori, if you could see all of us now?_ A sharp pain suddenly shoots across Kotomi's temples, like a bullet entering one side of her head and exiting like other. It comes so suddenly and so painfully that Kotomi grabs her head, having to hold the wall for support as she hunches over, gritting her teeth. _What the…_

 _"Shiori, thank you for having us."_

 _"Kotomi, this is Shiori-san, she's my friend."_

 _"Shiori, please…don't let them _my—"_ Images flash through her head, accompanied by bright lights and pops and flashes. Kotomi leans against the wall now, trying not to scream out loud as she tries to make sense of all of it.

Dark.

Wet.

Tingling.

White.

Stinging

Burning.

Fire.

Blood.

Pale.

"Kotomicchi?" Kise's voice barely registers with her as she pants, the visions finally fading away, with the pain lingering in her pores. "Are you okay!?" Strong hands steady her, and she realizes that she was kneeling on the ground, completely hunched over. "Hey!"

"I-I'm fine…" Opening her eyes and readjusting to the florescent lights of the estate once more, Kotomi's eyes flicker away from the floor and to the golden gaze of a worried Kise, who helps her stand, holding her hand securely as if afraid she would drop again. "Sorry…I just got dizzy all of a sudden…"

"Are you sure you should be out of bed?" He asks, holding her shoulders and turning her toward him. His eyes read nothing but concern for her. She smiles and places a hand over his, pulling it off her as she takes a step back. The move seems to hurt him, but he wipes it off his face with replaces it with more concern, trying to be sure that she wouldn't fall over again.

"I promise I'm okay, sorry." She repeats again. "I was just looking around. It really feels like no time has passed." Kise's expression relaxes a little, and he offers a smile. It wasn't like the sunshiny, bouncy energy that was characteristic of him in their early youth. The years had not been kind to his optimism, she supposed.

"Don't apologize. You don't have to push yourself anymore, after all."

"A walk isn't pushing myself, Ryota." His cheeks pink and he wiggles with delight that was more familiar to her.

"Hearing you say my name makes me really happy, Kotomicchi!" She rolls her eyes and starts to walk, silently hoping in vain that that would be the end of their exchange. But of course, the blonde walks beside her. She glances at his attire, a black t-shirt and camo pants tucked into black combat boots.

"Were you out?"

"Just on patrol."

"A general patrolling? That seems a little unusual."

"Akashicchi has us lead our own squads. The line of communication has less interruptions if we go along with them." Kotomi nods.

"Sounds like something he would say."

"Has he called you to come see him?"

"No, not yet. Is he working with his father?" Kise's face falls and he looks down as they walk.

"Masaomi-san died 4 years ago." Kotomi stops walking, staring ahead with widened eyes. Akashi Masaomi was by no means a warm or paternalistic figure in their lives, but he did clothe them, feed them, and educate them. It would be blasphemous of her to feel nothing upon learning of his death. But even then, it passes through her face as slight discomfort, and then it's gone. As grateful as she felt, he still arranged for her to marry his son behind her back and did nothing to stop his son's actions to restrict her freedom. She was his charge, not his child. An investment. A tool.

"I see. I'll be sure to give him my condolences once I see him. It must have been hard." Kise sighs himself, wordlessly expressing the same conflict of how to feel about the former Akashi family head.

"But Akashicchi is Akashicchi, so he never showed it on his face…"

"He's always had that infallible air to him." Kotomi laughs a little. "He always knew the answer, didn't he? It makes sense that he would become a general." Kise purses his lips while she speaks of the red-headed heir, seeming displeased by something.

"Anyway!" He stops suddenly and stands in front of Kotomi, which startles her quite a bit. He takes her hand, eyes sparkling with hope. "I was hoping we could go on a date, since you're up!"

"A…date…?" Kise looks away, bashfully rubbing the back of his head with an amicable smile. He takes her hands and laces their fingers together, squeezing reassuringly.

"Don't you remember? You said when I came back, I could try and win your heart."

"You still remember that?"

"Eh!?" Kise jumps back, dramatically grasping his chest as if she had just stabbed him in the chest. "Of course I do! It meant everything to me!" Kotomi raises a brow and giggles at this. Well…she did say she did say that… Without waiting for a verbal answer, Kise is pulling her down the hallway by her arm.

 _This is good…_ Kotomi thinks to herself, walking and chatting with Kise about anything she could, which at the moment happened to be about a book she had been reading back at the SDPA base. She needed to make this more than recreational. She had to learn what she could while she was out. She could see the city, get some information, and perhaps find avenues for an escape. Her mind wasn't on the 'date' at all, but it wasn't the most unpleasant thing to be with Kise.

* * *

Or so she thought.

"Kyaahh! Kise-kun, over here!"

"No, look over here!"

"Ahaha, sorry, ladies, I'm on my way to the studio. I can't stay and talk today."

"Eeehhh…" Kotomi stands by a nearby flower stand, admiring the vibrant flora, and occasionally shooting Kise an incredulous stare while he's mobbed by his fans. When they first arrived, she wasn't exactly sure why an army general would interest them so much. But it didn't take much sleuthing to figure out what they were actually flocking to Kise for. It wasn't as if his face wasn't plastered on every billboard, poster, and magazine within arm's reach, not to mention the electronic displays, cardboard cutouts, and odd trinkets and toys with his name and face.

 _Kise's been incredibly busy, these days._ She picks up a rose and runs her fingers across its petals, sniffing at it. Her eyes travel towards a lily, and a fond smile spreads across her lips.

"I think this is better suited for the lady." Kotomi's vision is obscured by a cornflower, which she takes with some surprise. They were originally a wildflower, so they weren't commonly found in shops or stands like this one. Kotomi looks up at the newcomer.

"Oh, Himuro-san?"

"Hello again. It's nice to see you up and about, and not chained to a bed." Himuro stood a head above her, leaning against the top of the flower stand with ease. She didn't even realize when she was laying down how massive the man was. Not as tall as Murasakibara, but definitely enough to intimidate her to a certain degree. He was wearing only a t-shirt and shorts, and the glistening of his pale skin suggested he had been exercising. "What are you up to?"

"Ryota insisted on taking me on a date, but he got preoccupied by…" Kotomi gestures to the scene before them, and Himuro chuckles.

"Ah, yes. The famous model and spokesperson of the Citadel."

"I knew he did modeling when we were in school, but I didn't think he would be this popular."

"You don't think he's pretty?"

"I think he's beautiful, but even beautiful Ryota is just Ryota to me." Kotomi smiles a little, playing with the petals of the cornflower absentmindedly. Himuro watches her with interest for a moment, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a few coins.

"Mr., I'd like a small bouquet of cornflowers, and violets if you have them." Kotomi jumps and moves to return the flower, but Himuro places a hand over hers, smiling handsomely.

"You're not making a bouquet for me, are you?"

"Who else would I make one for? Consider it a welcome back present. And an apology to handcuffing you to the bed." Kotomi laughs at this.

"I couldn't possibly, you're too kind." Himuro squeezes her hand again, and Kotomi finds herself blushing out of embarrassment. Perhaps her subtle flirting had worked a little _too_ well. Of course, she had tried it on her friends before, but she figured Oikawa and Bokuto were just being dramatic. She only meant to charm her way out of her handcuff, which ended up being unnecessary anyway.

"I want to. They're the same color as your eyes."

"Mm, I get told that a lot…" She sighs in resignation and opens up her arms to receive the small bouquet. She couldn't help but look a little pleased. As forward a gesture as it was, she did enjoy the flowers. Himuro seems quite pleased by this, seeing it as an opportunity to move forward.

"Fujisaki-san, I know we don't know each other too well, but I was thinking that we should change that. We should get together sometime, and—"

"Sorry," A strong arm suddenly drapes itself across Kotomi's shoulders, pulling her flush against a broad chest. "for the wait, Kotomicchi."

"Ryota!" Himuro steps back, reflexively raising his arms in defense, especially at the look that the blonde was currently giving him.

"Kise-kun, managed to shake off your fangirls?" Kise doesn't seem in the least bit amused, glancing down at the bouquet in Kotomi's arms and then at Himuro again. His eyes are that dark, molten gold color, and his grip on her shoulder was ever so slightly too tight for her comfort. He completely ignores Himuro's question, smiling down affectionately at Kotomi.

"They really do compliment your eye color…but as for scents…" Kise reaches over and retrieves a handful of roses, holding them in front of Kotomi. "You prefer these, right…?" Kotomi's lips purse, but she doesn't say anything. Himuro tilts his head in confusion.

"Ah, but Fujisaki-san—" He shuts up with one look from Kise and doesn't get to finish as the blonde places two hands on her shoulders and begins to lead her away while paying for the roses.

"Sorry, Himuro-kun! But we have to go, I'll see you around! Tell Murasakibaracchi I said hi!"

"T-Thank you, Himuro-san!" Kotomi calls over her shoulder. "Let's talk another time!" He returns her farewell with a small wave, a new bead of sweat traveling down his temple. Kise was glaring over his shoulder, with a territorial tense of his posture. Himuro felt that he might have been in danger if he didn't stop when he did. Yet somehow, he understood why. Himuro's eyes travel to the cornflowers, and then the lilies, picking up one of the white flowers and pressing the silky softness of the petals to his lips as he breathes in its scent.

* * *

"Ryota, you can stop pushing me, now." Kotomi sighs as the blonde finally stops, allowing her to take a few steps of her own. They were now in the shopping district, which was quite large and expansive, with much more diversity in selection than Kotomi remembered. Kise finally lets her go, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. Kotomi puts the flowers in one bundle under her arm, smelling them occasionally. The flowers grown in the greenhouse never seemed to become as vibrant or smell as strongly as the ones in the Citadel.

"Sorry, I was anxious. I wasn't expecting those girls to see me." Kotomi raises an eyebrow and smiles teasingly.

"You weren't expecting them to recognize your face, which is plastered all over the city?" Kise whines and waves his arms in distress.

"I didn't agree to that, my manager had it done! I promise, Kotomicchi, Kurokocchi always calls me a narcissist but it's honestly a nuisance to me too!" Kotomi giggles at this, hiding her face behind her bouquet, a sight which flusters Kise even more. His cheeks flush and he bites his bottom lip, reaching out cup her face.

"Oh! Is that Kotomi-chan?" The dark-haired woman turns her head away from Kise's hand when she hears her name being called, and she smiles at the tall brunette, the bespectacled man with green eyes, and the handsome grey eyed male who was furiously writing in a book.

"Kiyoshi-senpai!" She runs towards them, leaving behind a bewildered and irritated Kise. Hyuga raises a brow at her approaching.

"Kotomicch-!"

"Ryota-kun, is that you?" The blonde flinches as he vaguely recognizes the voice calling his name. Kotomi approaches the three men, while Hyuga regards her with some skepticism.

"Yo, brat. Why are they letting a traitor run around the city free like this?"

"I'm with Ryota, that doesn't count as being free."

"Well, considering what I saw back there at the camp, you should still be in custody. I've never seen _anyone_ take this idiot," He jabs a thumb at Kiyoshi. "down as quickly as you did."

"Hyuga, you say that, but you were really worried about her when Kuroko-kun carried her out of the fog." Hyuga shakes his head violently to protest the accusation from the third man.

"T-That's because Riko and Teppei looked really worried!"

"Well of course I was!" Kiyoshi nods, covering the entire surface of Kotomi's head with his bare hand and ruffling her hair so much that lifting his hand left cowlicks abound atop her head. Kotomi pouts and tries to smooth everything down again. "Kotomi-chan is like a little sister to me, after all!"

"Sister or not, something doesn't sit right with me." Hyuga's gaze is piercing, and Kotomi finds herself under scrutiny. "We all saw how strongly you felt about not coming back here, and yet here you are, roaming around like you never left. What exactly are you playing at?" Kotomi stands unwavering under his gaze, eyes widened to a comfortable degree, so that he could see every inch of the cornflower blue irises reflecting the image of Hyuga to himself. Then, Kotomi closes her eyes and laughs lightly.

"Hyuga-san, was it? You have every right to be suspicious of me. I don't have anything that will convince you of my motivations, nor my intentions, but what I can tell you is that no matter what people tell me, I know where my home is. I've always known, and no matter where I am in the world, I can always find my way back." This time, Hyuga squirms under her indomitable gaze, feeling as though the air was heavier, and that she was looking right through his soul. "We all lose our way, every now and then." There's a long pause between them, but Kiyoshi suddenly steps in between, a hand on each shoulder.

"Now, now, let's try to be nice to each other. Hyuga, Kotomi-chan is still adjusting, and people process things differently. Try not to bully her right away." Hyuga huffs and crosses his arms before looking away again with his nose in the air. Kiyoshi pets Kotomi's head again, a fond smile on his lips.

"Kotomi is right. She knows what she wants to do and what she needs to do. And she knows that Riko and I will always be behind her, no matter what." Kotomi's eyes widen slightly while Kiyoshi's knowing smile grows. Her lips turn upwards, and she throws her arms around him tightly, letting him envelope her in a warm and powerful bear hug. Even if he was just a year older, she imagined that this would be what a father was like. Her head turns when the third boy suddenly gasps and starts to write in his notebook again.

"The bee hind can be found _behind_ the bee! Got it!"

"Izuki, shut up." Kotomi laughs a little. Kiyoshi had told her about his childhood friends before. The man had a penchant for seeing the best in people, even when they didn't deserve it by her standards, so it was a relief to see that these people seemed genuinely decent.

"Ahaha, I think I should be going now. I've been keeping Ryota…waiting." She looks for her blonde friend, spotting him in the same spot she left him. "…oh my." Kotomi turns her head, sentence dying in her mouth as she witnesses the scene before her. A drop-dead gorgeous woman with dark hair and teal eyes smiles coquettishly at Kise, whose back is to the four of them. She couldn't see his face, but Kotomi could clearly see the tenseness in his shoulders. Whoever she was, she wasn't welcome, especially when her hands reach up to brush against his upper arms.

"Uh oh, looks like one of his old flames found him." Kotomi turns to Izuki with her mouth open in a little 'o' of disbelief.

"Kise had a girlfriend?" Izuki laughs a little and rubs the back of his head.

"I wouldn't say a girlfriend…but…I don't think it's my place to put a label on it."

"Kise-kun has a bit of a reputation;" Kiyoshi says cautiously. "the tabloids say that he has a new girl over at his apartment every weekend."

"So he's a womanizer." Kotomi and Hyuga say in unison, glancing at each other with some incredulity.

"I think he might be preoccupied a while," Kiyoshi sighs and looks up at the sky before lowering his gaze to Kotomi. "Why don't we do some window shopping in the…area…?" When he can't find the young woman, he's surprised to see her approaching the quarrelling couple. She steps in front of Kise, gently placing a hand on the young woman's shoulder.

"Sorry, he doesn't quite like you touching him so casually. Could you please step away?" The girl steps back on command out of pure shock, her eyes narrowing.

"Who do you think you are, speaking for him?"

"Kotomicchi…" Kise sounds both relieved and surprised. Kotomi smiles and offers the young woman a rose. The woman is taken aback, taking the rose in her bewilderment.

"I'm just a family friend. I'm back from a trip and Ryota was just showing me around before he has to go back on patrol, right?" She glances at the blonde for support.

"Yeah…Yeah! That's right." Kise smiles apologetically, waving. "I'm only free for another hour or two, and I still have to walk her back home." The woman doesn't seem convinced, but Kotomi takes his hand and pulls him away, with little resistance on his part. As she's walking past Kiyoshi, she stops and gestures to him. Kiyoshi blinks and leans down. With a mischievous smile, Kotomi presses a kiss to his cheek, feeling Kise's grip around her hand tighten considerably, but she pulls away with a giggle.

"Thanks, Kiyoshi-senpai, I'll see you around." Kiyoshi holds his cheek and smiles, picking up on what she was getting at.

"Be careful out there, you two." Kotomi bows slightly to Hyuga and Izuki, who are staring worriedly at Kise, whose eyes are obscured by a shadow from his fringe. When they walk away, Hyuga glances at Kiyoshi, who is still holding his cheek with a stupid smile on his face. Izuki notices it too, raising a brow.

"Teppei, I'm telling Riko."

"Eh!? Why!?"

* * *

As they head down a quieter street, one that Kotomi recognized a little more as a line of family-owned shops and restaurants.

"I don't think she'll follow us here." Kotomi looks back, expecting him to jump on her and call her a genius, or hug her and ask her to marry him. But when all she hears is silence, she raises a brow and looks behind her just in time to see hands fly out to trap her in between either of Kise's arms, her back against the wall. "Uwah! R-Ryota…?"

"What is he to you?"

"W-Who are you…?"

"Kiyoshi Teppei…who is he to you?" His voice is rough and lacking in its melodic lilt, and he has yet to meet her eyes. Her hands reach up to push him away, but its met with one of his which grasps her hand, curling his fingers around her palm.

"Ryota, you're too close."

"Please, Kotomicchi, answer my question." Kotomi's brow furrows in irritation and she tenses, which makes him move closer to her.

"First you step back." Her voice is lower now, containing a note of warning. He grits his teeth, opening his mouth to make another demand, and Kotomi clenches her fist in preparation to give him a good strike to get her own demand across. "Don't think you can intimidate me."

"I'm not, I—" Kise is struggling to find his words. A looming shadow darkens Kotomi's vision suddenly.

"I don't know much about women," a slightly tanned hand falls on Kise's shoulder, removing him from Kotomi, much to her relief. "But I don't think it's good to crowd someone like that, Kise." Kagami doesn't seem too pleased about the situation he happened upon, glancing at Kotomi.

"Kagami-san…" Kise doesn't seem all too pleased about his sudden appearance, but he doesn't seem quite angry, either. He does, however, back away from Kotomi.

"Kagamicchi." Kagami looks to Kotomi, shoving the greasy paper bag under his arm and stepping between the two of them.

"You okay?" Kagami's eyes fall on Kotomi as he asks this, though it's a mere glance. Otherwise, he was watching Kise completely.

"She's fine, we were just about to discuss something important." Kotomi shoots Kise a glare, but he doesn't make eye contact with her, staring Kagami down.

"I wasn't askin' you, Kise." Flinching in offense, Kise's perfectly shaped brows drop into a glare, but Kotomi can't help a fond smile.

 _How surprisingly pleasant, for someone so hard to approach…_ Kotomi notes in her head, offering a silent nod. Kagami seems convinced by her lack of injury and her wordless confirmation, but he does posture himself in a way that suggests he was ready to step in again.

"Hey." He's addressing Kotomi again, seeming a little more relaxed. "You trained with Alex, didn't you?" Kotomi blinks a few times as the puzzle pieces lock into place. Changing the subject was a good move on his part.

"Alex…oh, Garcia-sensei! You and Himuro-san are her kids?" Kagami blushes at this and rubs the back of his head.

"Is she still going on about that…? We're already adults." And yet, he seemed a positive kind of embarrassed, which made Kotomi smile. He really did remind her of a younger Aomine, when he would deny that he enjoyed attention from Shiori-san.

"She talks very fondly of you guys." Kagami huffs and puts a hand on his hip.

"And she never stopped talking about you. She said she's never met anyone who could execute a takedown so well. I didn't believe her until I saw you take down Kiyoshi-senpai."

"I had many advantages; he always utterly destroyed me one-on-one. I used his technique, which he taught me." From behind Kagami, Kotomi sees Kise's eyes widen at hearing this. But Kotomi shrugs in response.

"Warzones aren't always that pristine, though." Kagami gives her a feral grin, similar to Bokuto or Iwaizumi, when they were really into a battle. "Spar with me sometime."

"No way." This time, Kise steps in between Kagami and Kotomi, placing a hand on her shoulder protectively. "She doesn't need to fight, anymore." Kotomi grabs his hand and pries it off her with a defiant glare.

" _Everyone_ needs to fight, Ryota."

"Not you."

"Are we still doing this? You heard Kagami-san. I can fight, right?"

"I don't care. I let anything like what happened six years ago happen again." Kotomi quiets at this as Kise's voice rises in frustration, emotion welling up in his eyes. "I almost lost you." Kotomi bites her tongue to fight the words that bubble up in her chest.

"And now she's back." Kagami insists on her behalf. She wished she didn't need it, but it seemed as though everything that came out of Kotomi's mouth was automatically invalid in the eyes of anyone here. "Why don't you let her decide what she wants to do with herself?" Kise scowls at this, fists clenching.

"Kagamicchi, I like you, but you should stay out of this."

"There are a lot of things I _should_ do." While the two are clashing, Kotomi seriously considers running away just to spite the blonde, but she refrains. At the very least, this exchange settles her previous question on how much has changed since she left. And the answer was nothing at all. Kotomi suddenly takes Kise's hand, holding it to herself. He turns to look at her with surprise, cheeks darkening slightly.

"K-Kotomicchi…?"

"Ryota, can we talk about this at home? I'll hear what you have to say, but I need you to hear me, too." He searches her expression for a long moment, before his expression becomes apologetic.

"Yeah…" Kotomi looks to Kagami, offering a smile before walking ahead, Kise coming up to hold her hand in silent apology. Kagami seems conflicted, either by the uneasy apology between the two friends or Kise's obviously overprotective attitude towards her. He was beginning to understand why she ran away in the first place. With a glance backwards, Kagami couldn't possibly miss the message Kise sends with only the half-lidded glare.

 _She's mine._

* * *

As they're walking the path back to the estate, Kotomi walks behind Kise with her arms crossed. Her eyes are trained on the tenseness of his back, wondering if she should say and what she should say in response to his behavior today. After a long moment, Kise stops and turns around, his expression disappointed.

"I…I'm sorry. I wanted to take you out today, so we could forget about all the bad stuff that's happened. But…seems like everyone wanted to get in our way, today." Kotomi sighs, shoulders slumping.

"No, I think _you_ got in our way, today." Kise flinches, seeming very much like a kicked puppy despite the fact that he was 22 years old. "I think we need to talk about it. So, let me go first. I gave Kiyoshi-senpai a kiss, so that that girl wouldn't get suspicious. There's nothing between us. He's like a big brother to me, and that's it." Kise seems to relax at this, though he looks ashamed, probably because of his behavior.

"What about Himuro?"

"He's undoubtedly flirting with me, but I'm not interested in him in that way."

"Kagamicchi?"

"He just feels bad for me because of how ridiculous you're being with me, which should tell you a lot about how you're behaving." Kise pouts further, but Kotomi holds fast to her words. "So, your turn. What are you thinking about, Ryota?" Kise puffs up his chest a moment, tensing, and then releasing it all with a heavy exhale. He slumps a bit and then walks over to a nearby tree, sitting down at the base. Kotomi stands in front of him, staring expectantly. He brings a knee up to his chest, resting his elbow on it and hiding his face behind his forearm. It was such a vulnerable pose and expression, that Kotomi felt a tug on her heartstrings. It was like he was 13 again.

"I…I like you."

"I know-"

"No, you don't." The tips of his ears turning pink was the only indication of his blush. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be so friendly with other guys." Kotomi feels her cheeks warm now. She's always known, but she's realizing that he's about to tell her directly, for real. Which meant she had to address it, for real. No more jokes, no more whining.

"I like you so much. The way you look, the way you sound, the way you smell. I like how you play with your hair when you're thinking or distracted. I like how you hop when you're nervous. You're beautiful, the prettiest thing I've ever seen. Not just physically. Everything about you is so perfect to me." Kotomi's entire face was red, now. She's never heard such words spoken to her so seriously, nor in such volume.

"Ryota …" Kise stands slowly, walking towards her and placing his hands on her shoulders. His eyes were that melting gold color again, but it was more like liquid sunshine than precious metal, and he was still bright pink from embarrassment.

"Don't think less of me for being with those girls. They were nothing compared to you. I never wanted anything serious than what I want with you. They just see me for my looks. They just want me or my status, or my looks. But you know me. I'm selfish and cold, and I don't care about anyone who isn't us, not really. But you still smiled for me, indulged me, and loved me like family. But that's not enough, anymore. When I thought you died, no woman could fill the hole that it left in my chest." His voice cracks at this, and he hides his face in her shoulder, hugging her tightly. Kotomi wraps her arms around him out of instinct, unable to stop herself from stroking his back comfortingly. Her hands were shaking, because she had no idea he felt so strongly. And it scared her.

"I…I don't know what to—"

"I didn't know what to do with myself. I seriously considered…I considered trying to follow you." Kotomi's blood runs cold at this, her eyes widening. "No matter what I had been through when we were at war, when I was killing people, torturing people, bombing people, _nothing_ compared to the way I felt when I saw you laying there in your puddle of blood. And when those bastards carried you away, I- I was so sure I'd never see you again." Kotomi swallows hard. Kise slowly pulls away to look her in the eyes. She was surprised to see unshed tears adding shine to his otherwise bleak eyes.

"I…I'm not worth following like that." Kotomi's voice is choked up, but she doesn't feel the sting of tears, to her confusion. But Kise doesn't seem to notice.

"The only reason I didn't was because I was afraid that you'd be mad at me, and because I was scared. I'm not as reckless as you, I'm afraid of dying." Kotomi laughs a little, and Kise laughs with her, and cups her cheek. He holds her like she was so fragile that tightening his grip would break her. "But I wanted to. For a long time. That's why when Kurokocchi brought you back, I realized that I had to tell you. Because I almost lost the chance, once, and I wasn't about to pass it up again."

"What about when Seijuro announced that I was supposed to marry him?" Kise lets out a dry, humorless laugh.

"Momoicchi had to stop me from coming to your room and running away from this place with you." Kotomi rolls her eyes at this.

"Sounds like something you would do. Though, I don't think we would have gotten very far." Kise offers her a handsome smile, leaning in to rest his forehead against his, closing his eyes.

"I don't want to regret anything like I did before, so…Fujisaki Kotomi…please be mine…let me love you and you protect you. I'd do anything for you…" His hand travels to the back of her neck, tilting her head up and leaning in, his lips parting. As he's embracing her, Kotomi feels a coldness settle over the warmth of her chest, freezing it all over.

She felt frozen. What was she supposed to do? Push him away? Kiss him? Her head was starting to spin from the confusion of it all. She's been confessed to before, by classmates and even men who were too old to be confessing to her, but she's never felt the conflict like this before. His touch felt good, and her knee jerk reaction was to kiss him. It wasn't as if she had anyone like this in her life already, but it still didn't feel right. Kise's hand slips down under her jaw, holding her gently by the neck. There's another flash before her eyes, flooding her with fear and anger and horror.

 _She couldn't breathe. The hand at her throat was squeezing, squeezing, squeezing. No matter how much she tried to scream, no air would come into her lungs. Her cheeks burned with the heat of tears streaking her tears. She glanced up at her attacker, but their face in the dim moonlight obscured her vision._

 _All she could see was a dark shadow, the shadow of death._

And then she fell.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** **OOhh, okay, so this is our first glimpse at Kotomi's past! It's been insinuated it wasn't exactly a walk in the park, but we know for sure now that someone in her life tried to strangle her. But why? And who? What role does Akashi Shiori have to play in her past? Also…we have our first confession! I do miss sunny and happy Kise, but I'm basing him off Manga!Kise, who can be quite cold and selfish around those he doesn't view as worthy. I also have a huge headcanon that he's a jealous little bean. So I look forward into playing into that. I imagine all of the GOM are going to have a jealous/possessive streak toward Kotomi, one that is not as lighthearted as that of Oikawa and the others. Not to mention, they're not aware of it, but they have two more potential rivals in the form of Himuro and Kagami, who seem to have taken some kind of an interest in Kotomi! I had a hard time really getting into the confusion and inner turmoil Kotomi would feel toward this. I really hope that it came through. Be prepared for some lightheartedness next chapter, thanks to our one and only Shutoku duo! Until next time!**

 **Love,**

 **Silky 3**


	11. Mazes and Monsters

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases._**

 **Author's Note: This. Was. Difficult. I rewrote this chapter 6 times. I had to tweak the plot several times as well. It just wasn't flowing the way I wanted it to. But I think I've fixed it so hopefully I'll be updating sooner than almost 2 months now. So sorry for the wait and thanks to everyone who's sticking with me! Jack of All Trades is coming along too!**

 **Thanks to Ainilly for the favorite! And thanks to Ainilly and line-de-blue for the follow! No reviews this time around. Silky is sad**

 **Anyway! Hope you guys enjoy this new chapter!**

 **Warning: Some profanity, a sprinkle of violence, and sexual innuendo. We getting into the raunchy stuff, my dudes.!**

* * *

 **Mazes and Monsters**

"How is she doing?"

"Still shaken, but she did eat a little bit this time." Riko slowly closes the door to Kotomi's room, staring at the blanket clad form with worry in her chocolate brown eyes. She turns to the small crowd gathered behind her, consisting of Midorima, Kise, Momoi, and Kuroko. There's a range of concerned to angry, the latter particularly on the part of Midorima.

"What in the world happened to her that left her like this?" Midorima turns directly to Kise, brow furrowed deeply in quiet fury. "What were you thinking? She wasn't in the place to be out wandering with you!"

"Ki-chan couldn't have possibly known!" Momoi is quick to defend the blonde with tears already forming in her eyes.

"She has been a captive for more than 6 years with savages and barbarians, fighting wars that weren't hers; she likely has some form of PTSD! And you carelessly let her wander around as if a day hasn't passed." Midorima counters, to which Kise can only glare at the ground in response. Of course he felt absolutely horrible about what happened. He was the one who had to witness it, after all.

The way she seized up and pushed him away, eyes wild with terror. When he touched her shoulders, she started to scream nonsense at him, begging him not to hurt her, to help her, to save her. It almost drove him mad with anger and grief to see the woman he loved react so violently to something he couldn't save her from just moments after vowing to protect her. It was all Kise could do to grab her by the shoulders and slap her hard enough to shock her out of the trance she had fallen into before collapsing against him, unconscious.

But since then, she's been sitting by herself in her room, staring blankly at the wall in front of her. Whatever she had seen had shaken her to her very core in a way that none of them have ever seen before.

"We should get a professional to see her," Riko advises. "Until then, would you mind if I stayed to keep an eye on her? While you guys are away at work, I can stay with her to keep her company and keep an eye on her progress."

"We would really appreciate that, Riko-chan." Momoi nods. "You're welcome to stay as long as you need to, and until Kotomi is feeling more like herself again."

"When will that be?" Kuroko asks quietly, his eyes still trained on the door to Kotomi's room.

"I don't know, but we can't rush these kinds of things. The best we can do is make her comfortable and wait until she's ready to talk to us."

"Oh, Koto-chan, what in the world did they do to you…?" Momoi sniffles softly. Kuroko puts an arm around the pink-haired girl comfortingly. Midorima sniffs, still angry, while Kise bites his lip.

"We'll leave it to you, then, Aida. We have to leave for patrol, soon enough."

"Midorima-cchi!" Midorima only pushes his glasses further up the slender bridge of his nose unperturbed by Kise's protest.

"We have jobs to complete, even if she's like this. It's our duty."

"I don't care about duty!" Kise almost stomps his foot childishly, but his eyes were blazing. "I care about Kotomi-cchi, and I'm not going to leave her side until she's—"

"Kise-kun." Kuroko calls for everyone's attention with his sudden rise in volume. "We understand how you're feeling, but we're not helping Kotomi by sitting around and waiting for her. I trust Aida-san, so we can do our jobs and protect Kotomi-chan in our way." Kise bites his lip almost hard enough to draw blood, finding that he can't argue with Kuroko, as much as he would like to.

"Fine…can I talk to her, though?"

"I'd like to go inside to see her, as well." Kise tries not to look at Kuroko with exasperation in his eyes. He wanted to be the one to comfort her, to reassure her, since he couldn't when he was right beside her before.

"I don't think we should overwhelm her." Riko advises. "So let's try not to bring too many people into her room."

"I will go." The two look toward Midorima, Kuroko with surprise and Kise with contempt and protest already on his lips. "Kuroko, you still have to report to Akashi, and I think you've done enough, Kise."

"I'm the one who was with her, let me—"

"What were you even talking about, when she had her attack?" Kise looks down, frowning deeply.

"Not important."

"Of course it's important, you fool. If something can trigger flashbacks of a kind of panic attack, then we need to know what to avoid." Kise narrows his eyes at this, bubbly voice dropping an octave with warning in his voice.

"Are you trying to say that it was my fault she ended up like that?"

"I'm considering every possible option." Kuroko steps in front of Kise before he can reach out and grab Midorima by the collar, knowing the blonde well enough to predict that he was angry enough to become physical. Kise often let many things slide off his back as he was quite used to being teased and being rendered the butt of the joke. But anything concerning Kotomi and her well-being was at the very top of his very short list of things he would not tolerate.

"I agree, Kise-kun. And I think you're being quite difficult." Kise grits his teeth, almost bearing them. Momoi looks concerned, and Riko looks borderline terrified. She never really liked Kise Ryota as much as other women within the Citadel, mostly because she was preoccupied by a certain dark-haired soldier with glasses and a nasty temper. But something about the gorgeous blonde always unsettled her.

Something about him seemed…wound up, especially after Kotomi's assumed death. It was like he was a rubber band that had been pulled to its absolute tautness, and the smallest bit of pressure would snap him right in half. Not many others noticed it, but Riko was just that perceptive. She never thought it could be this bad though. The furrow of his brow and the bearing of his teeth was starting to warp Kise's pretty features, and he looked less like a model and more like the fearsome general he truly was. It made her concerned for Kotomi's well-being if she were to stay _._ She couldn't imagine Kise hurting her physically, but their track record for appropriate responses was unbearably 's worry only multiplied tenfold when Kise finally answered Midorima's question.

"I told Kotomicchi I loved her." There's a long pause, as if the news had been dropped from a passing airplane. Slowly, it floats, swaying back and forth in the breeze and carefully before making its touchdown with the consciousnesses of the young adults within earshot. Riko's lips part, her eyes darting to the other four people. Momoi's face was as pink as her hair, Midorima looked both horrified and shocked, and Kuroko's eyes had widened in surprise but also darkened a shade, his lips set into a tight line.

"K-Ki-Ki-chan!"

"You…she was not in—" Midorima can barely find his words, his shock turning quickly to fury.

"I don't care." Kise cuts in before Midorima can be any more of a broken record than he already was. "I don't care if she wasn't ready. I'm not sorry, even if it did cause her to remember something painful. I won't be vague about my feelings, anymore." Midorima's taped hands tighten into fists, also bearing his teeth as he grabs Kise by the collar instead, their noses almost touching. His Lucky Item for today, a red French dictionary, hits the floor in his haste as he shakes the model in fury.

"You selfish fool!"

"Kotomicchi will never get hurt again. I'll die before that can happen, but I wanted to be selfish and I wanted to let her know so that she'll never doubt that I'm doing the right thing for her." Gold clashes with emerald, neither choosing to back down from their impromptu confrontation.

"T-Tetsu-kun…" Momoi glances at Kuroko for guidance on how they should break this up, but to her discouragement, he seemed as shell-shocked as Midorima, stunned into silence rather than anger.

"Her health is more important at the moment, and your selfish actions will only harm hurt far more than anything else!" Midorima is shaking, but he's trying to keep his voice level. Despite his reputation as a Demon General, he didn't like violence. It was a necessary tool to assume power over his subordinates. With the exception of Kuroko, he didn't get the same satisfaction out of taking power through killing and destruction. He preferred to assert his power through respect. Be the strongest, so that even the most rebellious could not even dream of crossing him.

And yet, he was moments away from driving his fist into Kise's face. And the blonde knew that. The 6 of them had certainly sparred before, and even engaged in the semi-serious argument that ended with clashing knives and pointed guns, but never before had he ever wanted to seriously hurt any of his childhood friends until today. Kise finally grabs Midorima's wrist, slowly prying the green-haired man's hand off his now wrinkled shirt collar. His eyes are challenging, but his voice is dark and rough with thinly veiled taunting..

"I'm not mature enough to hold back on my feelings. Maybe you should give it a try sometime."

"What are you going on about?"

"You too, don't you? You love Kotomicchi. That's why you've always had a stick up your ass when it comes to her." Everyone seems a little disturbed by Kise's use of profanity.

"What…?" Midorima's eyes narrow dangerously, to the point that Momoi decides to step in between the both of them, hands on their chests.

"We can't have this conversation here, let's drop it, you two." But Kise is relentless, this time advancing on Midorima while pushing Momoi out of the way.

"If you don't want to own up to it, fine by me. That just means I have less competition." Kise's smirk at this seems to touch upon a nerve Midorima didn't know he had.

"Silence."

"But don't sit here and try to lecture me when you're just jealous you don't have the courage to tell her yourself."

"Kise."

"That's why you're so pissed right now, because I can do what you've struggled with all your life. And you know Kotomicchi as much as we do. And you know she'll never look your way until you open your mouth and tell her-!"

" _I said enough!."_ The frigid tone of Midorima's voice stops everyone, and finally, a hand appears on Kise's shoulder. Kuroko, who had been listening all this time, looks to both his friends and shakes his head. His eyes are still dark but pleading. Momoi sighs in relief.

"I understand both of you right now, but Momoi-san is right. Kotomi-chan is troubled right now. If a fight breaks out here, then it might be a problem for her. Kise-kun, Kotomi-chan will still be here when you return. For now, I think a patrol will cool you off."

"Kurokocchi…" Kise takes a deep breath and finally relents, much to everyone's relief. "Fine. But I'm coming back after to spend time with her." Kise turns on his foot and saunters away. Midorima puts away his knife, clearing his throat and taking a deep breath to calm his frayed nerves. He picks up the dictionary with careful hands, flipping through it absentmindedly as if every page whispered calming words to his quavering heart.

"Midorima-kun, please go see Kotomi-chan when you're feeling calmer."

"I know that already…" Finally, Kuroko turns to the forgotten brunette standing in front of Kotomi's door. She blinks, having been so absorbed in the intensity of the situation that she had had lost herself for a minute.

"Aida-san, the guest rooms are in the East Wing, you can pick any room there."

"Sure thing, let me just check on Kotomi-chan and make sure that she's okay for guests."

"Please do." Riko opens the door and slips inside as the rest of them take their respective leaves, leaning against the wood once more and taking a deep breath she didn't know she was holding. A bead of sweat rolls down her temple as she sighs deeply.

 _Kotomi, how the hell do you deal with such dramatic people!?_

Riko slowly approaches the covered figure sitting as a lump on the bed. She sits beside Kotomi, placing a gentle hand on her blanket-clad back.

"Kotomi…is it okay if Midorima-kun comes in to see you in a little bit?" After a moment of silence, suddenly Kotomi turns her head to face Riko, her eyes lacking the nebulous daze they sported before. Riko is so surprised she takes her hands off the young woman, scooting back. Before Riko can make any noise, Kotomi brings a finger to her own lips, shaking her head. She slips Riko a piece of paper, the notebook and pen she had been using poking out slightly.

* * *

When the air had cleared, Midorima found himself opening the door to Kotomi's bedroom, knowing she wouldn't answer if he knocked. She hadn't changed position, still sitting while staring at a dark corner in her room. He slowly approaches her, as if afraid he would spook her. Such a sight pained him in ways he would never voice aloud, so much so that he almost crushes the sheet music in his hands.

"It's _Rite of Spring,_ by Stravinsky," he murmurs as he places the booklet in front of her. "I know that you and Akashi liked to play it together. I found it in the library; sheet music is the Lucky Item for Libras, today." When he receives no acknowledgement, he sighs deeply. He sits beside her on the bed, hands folded politely in his lap as he stares at the ground in front of him.

The last time he had seen her like this was when she first arrived. A small, fragile little mousy girl with unkempt hair, soulless eyes, and so thin he could see almost every little bone underneath her pallid skin. All the Akashi family doctors were stunned she was still even alive. Midorima remembered staring at her tried to eat the first time. The boy at the time was horrified that she couldn't even sip at water without retching and dry heaving until tears streamed down her cheeks. The others didn't remember as well, but he did.

Midorima arrived alongside Murasakibara and Aomine when he was first brought to the Akashi household. His parents had been doctors who lived outside the Citadel in order to treat refugees who were extracted from slums and war zones, so Midorima had lived within that makeshift hospital for the first 6 years of his life before a suicide bomber set it ablaze. Because of that profession, he had of course seen starving children, women and men before.

Many of them died not long after his parents tried to treat them. He's seen many children like Kotomi before. He didn't think she would make it; and during her recovery, Midorima avoided Kotomi like the plague. He didn't want to see her die, but he always played it off like she was just an annoyance, because though he would never admit it, Kise was right. Midorima was not the type of person to just share his emotions, and he was especially not the type to make friends with someone who was going to die, anyway.

And yet, not only did she recover, but she thrived as she grew older, stronger. Midorima, like everyone else, watched the light return to the soulless eyes he avoided at every turn, and soon Kotomi was chasing Kise and Aomine around the manor, laughing and giggling like any other child. He heard the family doctor joke that she was a 'kicker.' When he asked what that meant, the doctor reached down and ruffled his hair, much to the child's chagrin at the time.

"It means someone who wants to live more than anything." He said, earning a look of curious wonder on the bespectacled child's face. From that day on, Midorima started to look at Kotomi in a different light, and she only glowed brighter as the years passed. But now, he was questioning what exactly it was that he saw in Kotomi that wasn't just mere recklessness and lack of concern for her life, despite the efforts of the people around her to keep her alive.

"Fujisaki…I cannot understand why you left us." He knows that he wouldn't get a response, but that was why he was going to be honest with his feelings for once. If only to prove that Kise was wrong. "But I don't believe in coincidences. Everything had to happen for a reason. Akashi, Aomine, Murasakibara, Kise, even Kuroko...all of them. We did not come together as part of something as illogical as luck. We were brought together by fate, because we were meant to do something great. I truly believe that Akashi can end this war, using our skills. No matter what we have to destroy." He clenches his fists tightly, eyes narrowing as he steels himself in anticipation of some unseen battle, long past haunting him like a shadow.

"And it's no different for you. You too, were meant to serve a purpose that you cannot escape. You meeting Kuroko at the base proves that. Fight as you wish, but fate dictates that you remain here with us. Because we were all meant to remain together like this. No matter how many times you run away. I say this for your benefit: stop trying to deny fate."

The blanket does not stir one bit, and Midorima raises a taped hand to try and touch her. But the blanketed form pulls herself closer, shifting into a lying down position and curling up a little more. Midorima tries not to be stirred by this, but he does in purse his lips in slight displeasure.

"But…for now you must rest. As for what you were discussing prior to your collapse…Kise won't bother you with such trivial things again. I can promise you that I will see to it." Without another word, Midorima stands and decides to take his leave, watching her for just a moment longer. Once the door closes, the figure pops up and removes the blanket from her form, wiping away sweat and taking a deep breath of fresh air. She wipes the thin sheen of sweat from her forehead, the mocha brown strands sticking to any inch of damp flesh it can find purchase. She sighs in exasperation, but also relief.

"That was close! I was about to lose it! How are those guys are supposed to be fearsome generals when they're acting like lovestruck middle schoolers…? Give me a break!" Riko glances worriedly at the bedroom window. She was so glad that Midorima had been too wrapped up in his little monologue to notice the breeze entering the room from the opening wide enough for the slim young woman to escape through, partly obscured by the curtains. The young woman pulls out the makeshift letter in her hand, reading the message in Kotomi's neat handwriting, albeit hastily written, one more time.

 _'I am going out to do some reconnaissance. Mind taking my place for a little bit?'_

* * *

"Just don't get caught, or we'll both be in a lot of trouble…"

When she awoke from her panic-induced stupor, Kotomi had a lot of thinking to do while she tried to make sense of _what the heavens_ she just witnessed. Of course, she understood right away it was a flashback, but what required unpacking was the conflict of curiosity she felt towards the idea of digging deeper into repressed memories. But even before she could process the pros and cons of that conundrum, the conversation she overheard outside that door made her realize she had very little time before her former friends would increase surveillance on her.

And then there was Kise…her cheeks turned pink at her response to his sudden and intense confession. She thought that perhaps she had finally moved on from her old home, but it seems that her affections have yet to run dry like she thought. His touch didn't disgust her, and her lack of disgust bred confusion abound. But there isn't a way for her to respond the way he wants her to.

Because she isn't planning to stay. She isn't keen on confronting him about it, but if he persists, she would have to reject him without giving him the real reason why. It feels dirty and it makes Kotomi feel guilty. She does not have the luxury of ending such things cleanly, or even exploring the possibility of a relationship with someone who is responsible for the death of so many. Besides, what she heard only confirmed her suspicions that not much has changed despite their joy at her return; they were still overprotective to a fault. She just had to hope no one would investigate her double keeping watch in her bedroom, and that no one would run into her.

* * *

Her childhood spent playing in the gardens are coming in handy as she slips past the gardeners and the maids without detection. Her footsteps were always light and quiet, but thanks to training from the likes of the quiet Akaashi and the near silent Kenma, she was nearly invisible. Kotomi just wishes they could see her now.

 _I'll just have to show them when I get back._

Kotomi slips into the vibrant maze of green hedges. She figures it's a good place to decide without interruption what she can get done before she gives Riko a break for the day. She slows down once she reaches the middle of the maze, knowing that no one would think to look for her here.

So, as it is currently, the SDPA is unaware of her location, Kuroko and the others suspect that she's suffering from PTSD, and it seems as though her only allies are Riko and potentially Kiyoshi. Perhaps even Momoi, if she had a chance to explain herself. Kise, Kuroko, and Midorima were on patrol. Aomine, Akashi, and Murasakibara are unaccounted for, but she imagines if she stays away from the office and the kitchen, she won't run into either the purple giant or the Akashi head.

 _The goal is to escape, perhaps with some information on how the Citadel is locating our bases. But if I want to know anything about that, Sei's office is the place to check, isn't it?_ Kotomi tries not to groan inwardly, but at the time she's grinning. She's been taking after Oikawa or Bokuto for too long. Such a challenge was exhilarating her and frightening her at the same time. It's nothing she couldn't handle.

"Oi, you're late." Kotomi almost jumps out of her skin when she hears a sudden voice from over the hedge wall, not expecting anyone to be out here. It does not sound like a maid, nor a gardener. Someone is having a meeting all the way out here?

"Yeah, those damn monkeys couldn't do their jobs right, so I had to take care of it for 'em." Kotomi leans in toward the hedge, trying to strain her ears to listen. Shuffling footsteps, at least 2 people as far as she knows.

"How many rebels did you wipe out today?"

"Feh! Those rats are getting better at hiding every day." The hairs on the end of Kotomi's neck stand up as fear and anger strikes her core. They were soldiers, but since when were they allowed here? Perhaps Akashi changed the rules, but why invite random soldiers to the estate? Not to mention, the glee in his voice had her tensing to throw herself through the brush and put whoever was hurting her comrades in a headlock.

"That's why I think that red-headed bastard should just bomb the hell outta them. This search and destroy mission he's on is just prolonging the inevitable. But I guess that's to be expected of stupid monkeys."

"Right? Not that I don't get a kick out of their despair when I kill their little buddies in front of them! Ahahaha!" Kotomi has to slap a hand over her mouth to hide her heavy breathing born from rage. More than being just soldiers, to get a kick out of killing…but the words that come next are what stop her breathing for her. "I wonder how those Generals manage to torture anyone when they stop so soon?"

That's right.

Kuroko had planned on rounding up that camp they ambushed them at.

That meant they were taking prisoners.

That's how Akashi was finding their camps.

Torture.

Suddenly, the inside of Kotomi's mouth tastes like metal.

"How many camps will they destroy before they get bored of being so slow?" The blood from the inside of her cheek is indistinguishable from her own saliva.

"Why can't we go back to just slaughtering them? We never get anything good out of them." The metallic liquid spreads all throughout the inside of her mouth along with the bitter, unpleasant taste of renewed betrayal.

The pain is the only thing keeping her from flying into a rage. If this is true, then there was only so much time before another base was raided. She had to tell someone. Ushijima, Tooru, anyone.

Escape. Inform the others of what she's learned. And then plan for a jailbreak. The corners of her eyes sting at the prospect of escaping the city knowing that her comrades were somewhere here, being tortured and mutilated. More than the physical, what churned her stomach was their psychological damage; no matter how good she was with ointments and medicines, no matter how well she could insert an IV, that was a pain she could not heal.

Kotomi takes a deep, calming breath once again to refocus herself on what had to be done. She may not be able to help those currently held captive, but at the very least she could prevent anyone else from falling victim as well. With that in mind, she prepares herself to head back, determined to hide this conviction deep in her heart until she reunited with the SDPA.

But then she notices how quiet it is.

"Well, what do we have here?" Kotomi's blood turns cold as she's suddenly all too aware of the voice that had once been on the other side of the hedge, now coming from behind her. She whirls around just in time to be grabbed with a bruising force by the wrists. She finds herself pinned to the hedge, sticks and branches sticking her back and neck. Kotomi grunts in pain, brow furrowed and teeth gnawing at her lip. "Looks like a stray kitten has lost her way."

Kotomi looks up with defiant eyes, her eyes finding emerald green, steeped in a pride and darkness deeper than Midorima could ever hope to even glimpse. Blonde hair that rivaled the golden locks of Kise framed a chiseled face and a strong jawline surrounding a pair of lips set in a feral grin, like a demon whose just found his prey. He was quite tall, towering above her with both aura and height, in a way whose intimidation rivaled the even taller Murasakibara.

"Let me go." A chuckle comes from behind the tall man, his conversation partners emerging from around the corners of the hedge, all cooing and murmuring in ways that made her stomach churn in fear.

"No can do, sweet thing…you listened in on some pretty confidential information. That's a bit of a problem, isn't it? Impeding on Citadel militia business comes with a pretty hefty fine."

"It's your fault for talking out loud like a bunch of morons." Now is _definitely_ not the time to be cheeky, but she couldn't quite help herself. The man seems quite unamused, his grin becoming a scowl.

"Hah…? Wanna try saying that again, little girl?" Kotomi knows it's coming before he even moves, but she still can't stop him from almost pulling her hair out of her scalp with the force he grabs her head with. Kotomi grunts in her attempt to keep her cries of pain in. A man with darker skin and silver hair, a pale man with ash grey hair, and another dark-skinned man with a shaved head encourage her assailant with gratuitous hoots and laughs.

It doesn't take a detective to recognize the way the way they looked her up and down, like a pack of hyenas eyeing a fallen gazelle. It made Kotomi sick to her stomach. Something told her if she doesn't find a way out soon, she would find be eaten alive.

"Ooh, she's got a tongue on her, I'd like to see what else it likes to do, aside from talk." The silver haired man flicks his tongue at her suggestively, revealing a small metal ball in the middle of his tongue.

"First, I wanna know what she's doing here." The blonde man, likely the leader of this merry little band of bastards, moves in closer to her, so much so that she could smell his expensive cologne, and the ghost of tobacco smoke. "You wanna spill your guts now, kitten…? Or should I take them out myself, nice and slow?"

He throws her to the ground, watching her sprawl across the dirt with amusement shining in his green eyes. Kotomi gasps as the ground knocks the air out of her lungs, but she glares up at him defiantly regardless. She was trying to lay low, but she wouldn't let scum like this demean her to keep her low profile. Besides, she was used to get knocked into the dirt. The ash grey haired man walks closer to her and squats by her, scrutinizing her for a long moment.

"I don't think I've seen this one's face around here before. You think she's a guest?" Nash raises a brow in thought.

"They don't let just anyone onto the Akashi property. Maybe some rich guy's daughter?"

 _You think I'm someone important and you throw me into the ground anyway?_ Kotomi deadpans silently. Either he lacked self-awareness, or he was just that arrogant about his value that he thinks such actions would go forgiven. She would bet money on the latter.

She couldn't help but see Akashi's face superimposed over the blonde's eyes narrowing. "But what would a rich man's daughter gain by escaping? Did you get bored by all the loser monkeys? If you want to play with us, we'd be happy to show you a good time." She would be more angered by his blatant condescension of Kuroko and the others if she hadn't just found out what she had about them. She was appropriately angry about the unwanted advances, though.

"I wasn't escaping. I was…exploring." Kotomi shrugs uselessly. In her mind, there wasn't a better lie to tell. She just knew this man wouldn't just let her go so easily. The man raises a brow in intrigue, and she hopes that at the very least he's interested enough not to bring her identity into question before Akashi himself.

"Exploring? In your pajamas? And you managed to find you way into the center of this maze?" His tone is difficult to parse. He isn't buying it, but he isn't exactly thinking her intentions are malicious just yet. But Kotomi surmises her chances of getting out of this are good. She realizes that it doesn't matter that he likely knows how much she's heard. He's likely trying to find a way to keep her quiet without injuring her.

"Haven't you heard of the trick of getting out of a maze? Keep your hand on the wall and eventually you'll find your way out. It's just terribly tedious."

"And is it a hobby of yours to eavesdrop on conversations that don't concern you?"

"It's a long story. But bottom line is I'm a troublesome, nosy brat. Seijuro and the others already know this." Using Akashi's first name seems to concern the blonde somewhat, evidenced by the downward tick of his smirk threatening a frown. They both know Akashi wouldn't let just anyone refer to him so formally. And the confidence she used his name with suggests correctly that she's used to doing it.

"You're a little _old_ to be so reckless, aren't you? I'm starting to think you might just be the daughter of a maid or something." Kotomi shrugs.

"I was a troublesome child, and old habits die hard. So, unless you'd like to be the one to inform Seijuro or any of the other generals about something so menial, and deal with their backlash, shall we leave this ordeal as a truce? Not that I wouldn't enjoy watching them throw you in a cell because of me." There's a beat of silence, and then boisterous laughter, with the blonde being the loudest of all. Emerald green meets cornflower blue once more, but this time there's something else other than suspicion and amusement lurking in his eyes.

"You're so catty…I don't hate that about my women." Kotomi can't stop the sneer that crosses her lips.

"I am not anyone's woman."

"So cold, kitten. You're breaking my heart here. I'm just trying to make friends with you." He offers her a hand to help her stand up, but Kotomi gets up on her own, head held high. This only seems to amuse him more.

"I'm sure you'll get over it very quickly. I'll be leaving now." Kotomi heads for the path leading out of the maze. At this point, she would much prefer running into even Akashi at this moment.

"Going to tattle on us, kitten? I can assure you that would be a mistake." His voice drops an octave. Kotomi cannot deny that a shudder of fear sprints down the length of her spine. He was dangerous, and not just in his build. But his disposition reminds her of Akashi, but rougher, wilder. Kotomi isn't sure how to address his level of threat, but she just knows he can't be trusted, not even for a moment. Deciding that she will no longer entertain him, she disappears, with even more questions than she had before. The ash grey blonde glances at his friend in concern.

"Oi, Nash, is this going to be okay to let her go?" The blonde scoffs, crossing his arms as she watches Kotomi disappear, eyes never leaving her form.

"She won't tell. I still don't know who she is, but she ain't as innocent as she looks. Bringing attention to us will bring attention to her, too. And I don't think she can afford that."

"But still," the silver haired man speaks, still glaring after the young woman. "If she talks, it might be a problem, for us. Just give me the word, and I'll—"

" _Silver."_ Nash's authoritative tone shuts the man up immediately. "Didn't I say it's not a problem? Even if she does say anything, it's almost time. Even if they were to find out, those damn generals wouldn't be able to do a damned thing." He can't help licking his lips before they spread into his feral grin, flexing his fingers.

"It's almost time for us _real_ demons to play!"

* * *

Nothing seemed to be going her way today. With the sun setting now, Kotomi realizes that she got nothing out of today other than more questions and a raging headache. Dinner time would be coming soon; it seems about time to finally relieve Riko from her post. Climbing up to her second story bedroom is no terrible feat, taking a running start and grasping the awning before propelling herself to her half open windowsill. This was nothing compared to the training she endured with the SDPA. A medic had to be quite agile and strong, since many times their patients couldn't quite come to them.

Riko is reading books under her blankets when Kotomi finally rolls into the bedroom. The brunette is standing up by the time she pats the excess leaves and dirt off her shirt.

"There you are!" Riko hisses, approaching the girl with such irritation in her gaze and purpose in her stride that Kotomi things for a moment that she was about to experience the Boston Crab Hold Kiyoshi had once warned her about.

"W-Wait, I can explain-!" Kotomi waves her hands and pleads in a loud whisper, shutting her eyes as she waits for the pain. But instead, she gets a fist to the head hard enough to make her whine. Better this than having her spine broken. Riko pulls away and places her hands on slender hip as she sighs.

"Mou! You're insane, you know that? Springing all that on me so suddenly. Midorima almost exposed me!"

"Sorry, sorry…."

"Not to mention you were gone for so long! And you're covered in dirt. Are you trying to get sick? I hope you were able to figure things out at least…" Kotomi smiles sheepishly. Riko snaps and rolls up her sleeve, flexing her hand to prepare for some spine-breaking pain, when Kotomi's expression suddenly becomes quite serious.

"Not quite what I expected, but I think you might be able to tell me about something I heard…" Riko ceases her advance, anger dissipating as Kotomi recounts her encounter in the hedges. When she finishes, Riko's eyes are widened in recognition and concern over what the man had said.

"Nash Gold and his goons…"

"They're soldiers, aren't they? But they look more like—"

"They're mercenaries Akashi recruited them from beyond the Citadel. They call themselves Jabberwocky, from the West. They don't fight for any army, just for money, food, and women." Kotomi immediately tenses, swallowing hard. Akashi hired mercenaries?

"Why would he trust outsiders?"

"They carry out the dirty work outside the citadel that the Generals can't take care of themselves and don't want to waste Citadel lives on. Mostly kidnapping hostages, smuggling goods…and interrogating enemies." Kotomi's throat dries and her voice is scratchy with internalized rage.

"You mean torture." Riko's face falls, nodding slowly. "Aren't the generals doing it, too?"

"Yeah. I usually have to treat the worst wounds of anyone they deep useful enough to keep alive…the Generals are cruel, but they're professionals. None of them really like torturing anyone, but they don't hate it either." Kotomi's face sours at the thought. "But Jabberwocky…they're on another level. They _break_ people beyond repair."

"A class act, they are. I think they're up to something unsavory. Can Akashi control them?"

"I have no idea, but we can't really tell anyone without exposing that you've been trying to gather information. Kuroko-kun and the others don't trust you."

"And the feeling is mutual." Kotomi murmurs, gritting her teeth in conflict with herself. "How can they look at me like I'm the one in the wrong when they're doing things like this…?" She lowers her head. She would love nothing more than to grab each one of them by the collar and demand answers, but she knows she won't ever get a satisfying response. Kotomi feels a hand on her shoulder as she looks up, Riko's mocha brown eyes seeming to glow in the twilight.

"You need to get out of here. This place isn't good for you, and neither are the guys here." Riko purses her lips as she remembers Midorima's collective claim to Kotomi. Those weren't the words of family. They were the words of owners upset by a disobedient pet. Kotomi sighs and drags a hand through her hair to dispel her exasperation.

"I don't even know how to get out of here. And I don't have a way of getting back home, even if I made it out of the Citadel." Riko looks down, seeming to think on it for a long moment.

"Don't you guys perform raids on the city? How often do you do that?" Kotomi blinks a few times, her head snapping up to meet Riko's eyes.

"Every month."

"And when was your last one?"

"Three weeks ago." The two girls suddenly feeling incredibly stupid for having missed something so obvious.

"Which means…"

"I don't need to go back." Kotomi smiles as a spider's thread falls into the abyss she found herself in. Riko nods in agreement, grinning herself as well.

"They'll come to you." Kotomi begins to pace the room, picking up a piece of paper and beginning to map out the city, the inner city as well as she could remember from her tour with Kise, and the outskirts she had visited many times with the SDPA.

"But we don't know when that will be, and Tooru and the others prohibited raiding the estate, because they knew it's where the Generals would have the most advantage." Kotomi draws a dotted line indicating the path from their entrance to the raid sites through a series of tunnels connected by abandoned buildings and sewers. She circles the several warehouses and labs they raid. Riko's eyes widen.

"So that's how you guys have been getting in…how have they not thought to seal your entrance points off?"

"They can't, not without shutting off plumbing or water to those areas. And we're within the vicinity of residential and business zones. If they did that, then the Citadel would have to provide supplies until they catch us. But we're used to jacking your trucks and jeeps, too." Riko's chest puffs up with sisterly pride as she realizes what Kotomi is getting at.

"Which means, to flush you out, they would have to shut off water, plumbing, and transportation, further endangering an already dwindling population!" Riko can't find herself condoning such action, but at the same time, she knows the Citadel is guilty of much worse. Riko can't help the bewildered expression she gives Kotomi. She knew Kotomi was always clever and resourceful, but to thrive and to become so cunning, was this really the same girl?

"Will you tell me more about them? Your friends, I mean." Kotomi seems quite surprised. It was the first time anyone's asked about the people she's spent the last 6 years with. Just what kind of people has she been spending time with?

"Really…?"

"If I know a little more about how they think, then maybe we can figure out together when and where their next raid will be. Besides," Riko crosses her arms and grins. "I think I'd like to meet them, sometime!" Kotomi's eyes widen for a moment as she finds her heart warming, just a little.

"Kotomi? Uwah!" Riko slaps a hand over her mouth as Kotomi suddenly throws her arms around her neck, pressing her face into her shoulder. "What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing. I'm just really glad to have you. Kiyoshi-senpai, too. I don't know what I would do without you guys." Riko blushes in embarrassment, returning the hug, but her face falls slightly when her hands rest on Kotomi's slender frame, sculpted by limited resources and brutal training. It was almost undetectable, but her shoulders were shaking, ever so slightly, the tremble only in Riko's fingertips. This place was a familiar stranger to someone like Kotomi, and she's surrounded by enemies who were once her closest friends. It seems almost impossible to _not_ be affected in some way.

"Of course, silly. You're a dear friend. I trust that you're doing what you're doing for the people who are important to you. And if you care so much about them, then maybe, just maybe they're good people."

"They're amazing people. I promise." Kotomi bites her lip, and she reaches up to wipe away a stray tear. The warmth in her chest came with the bitter emptiness that her dear friends outside the Citadel once filled. She yearned to return to that place, to bask in that fulfilling warmth once more, the warmth she once knew as the scent of the plum blossoms beneath a tree turning to a distant memory.

She couldn't quite understand why Riko like this when Kuroko and the others, who have known Kotomi longer, couldn't even trust her to make decisions about her own future.

 _It doesn't matter. They are the way they are, don't give them another chance._ She assures herself, shutting her eyes. _Don't try to reach them, anymore, you'll only get hurt again._

And yet…

That questioned lingered, melting into the foundation of her heart.

 _Would they too be able to trust her like this, one day?_

* * *

 **Author's Note: So this chapter was pretty plot driven, with the splashing of some fleshing out Riko and Kotomi's friendship. I won't say it all here, but I will let you guys know that Riko is the way she is primarily thanks to Kiyoshi. They're currently the only people that Kotomi can trust as of now. Btw, Nash and the others aren't really demons, there are no (supernatural) demons in this story, ahaha.**

 **For the next chapter, we'll see the first glance of Akashi and see what Oikawa and the others have been up to all this time! Until next time! Thanks for reading, and please leave a review!**

 **Love,**

 **Silky**


	12. Double-Edged Deceit

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases._**

 **Author's Note: Whoo boy, that took a while. I'm really glad y'all are sticking around. I'm working this summer and it's pretty rough. I get home and a just fall asleep with my writing open haha. But I hope you're still enjoying the story. Things are going to start picking up again!**

 **Guest:** **Wow! I'm really glad my story is binge-worthy! Thank you so much for enjoying!**

 **Thanks to syzygy zacker and .** **927!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Double-Edged Deceit**

"Is this the last of them?" The olive-haired man asks, pressing his finger against the trigger of his pistol. The man wearing the Citadel badge on his bulletproof vest can't do much but squirm, eyes wide with terror at the team of rebels watching him like a hawk. Four pairs of eyes just begging him to give them a reason to pump him full of lead. And that's not even counting the two holding him down with his wrists pressed firmly against his back, cheek pressed into the dirt so that he would be able to answer any questions they needed.

"This is the last one." The spikey dark-haired male confirms, his droopy copper colored eyes seeming to burn holes into his temple.

"Just kill me, you heathens. You're wasting your time on me, because I won't say anything." The quivering of his voice doesn't convince any of his captors.

"That's what they always say.." The silver-haired man says, his voice an octave deeper and decibels quieter than his normal ear-piercing intonation and volume. His grip on the man's wrist tight some, to the point where everyone could hear the bones of his wrists creaking and the young man whimpering.

"Bokuto-san," the slightly younger man with dark wavy hair cautions, though there's no concern for the injuries their hostage is sustaining. "If you break all his bones now, we won't have any threats to make later."

"We're not going to kill him, for now." The spiky haired man adds, his stern features accented by his currently narrowed eyes. "That's not what we're here for."

"If he doesn't talk and tries to squeal, I'll cut his throat myself." The brunette beside him adds, growling menacingly as he sharpens his knife. "We're wasting time with small fry who won't pony up." Ushijima gesture to the five other men, his tone condescending in its attempt to be amicable.

"As you can see, my subordinates-"

"We're not your subordinates!"

"Are quite impatient. I am not above hurting you to get what I need, but only you can spare your life and the lives of all your comrades here by answering our questions." The man only scowls, spitting profanities at the olive-haired man, though his insults are drowned out by the protests of the brunette.

"Oi, Ushiwaka, you better not start thinking that you're in charge of us now." Ushijima blinks a few times in confusion.

"According to the rankings placed by my father, as well as my birthright, I am your superior."

"That's not important!"

"It is." The man growls at this, so tempted to lunge forward and knock Ushiwaka's teeth from his jaw. The others are also annoyed, but they know only one person can calm Oikawa when it comes to Ushiwaka.

"Oi, dumbass. Let him get on with the interrogation." Iwaizumi says casually, though he's preparing a fist to knock the brunette out if need be. Oikawa grits his teeth and clenches his fists, but her snorts angrily and saunters away, standing beside Iwaizumi and leaning on him for support, which the man allows for now. Ushiwaka turns to their prey again, eyes glinting.

"Your generals have captured a young woman who is a comrade of theirs. We would like you to inform Akashi Seijurou that we demand a parlay between ourselves and the 5 Demon Generals and the Shadow, to discuss the terms of her release to us." The man pinned to the ground scoffs, laughing a little as he glares up at them all with a deep, searing hatred.

"As if the Generals would ever even consider spitting in the direction of the likes of you…go on, then! End me! I'm not afraid of death!" Oikawa steps forward again, and Iwaizumi glares, but the threat dies on his lips when he sees the eerie calm in Oikawa's eyes and the smile on his lips. He walks over to the man and squats, arms resting on his knees as he tilts his head questioningly.

"Are you sure you want to die? Right now? It doesn't really matter to me, but…what about your men?" He gestures with a flick of his wrist to the unconscious or incapacitated bodies strewn around the camp claimed in the name of the Citadel. "You don't care what happens to them? If you refuse and we kill you, we'll go through them one by one, asking them the same thing."

"We've all been prepared to give our lives to the Citadel." He spits back, face turning red and eyes wild. "Don't underestimate us! We will all refuse you! You arrogant swine, you think you can appeal to my humanity!? You're nothing but vile, unwanted vermin threatening to wipe us out! Don't talk to me about the safety of my comrades as you dangle their lives before my eyes like bait!" He pants softly with the exertion of his outburst, cheeks flushed slightly. Oikawa's expression has turned icy cold, though the smile remains on his lips as he smirks.

" _Hoh…?_ You've got some balls, I see. Even though you're still green. You're just a kid. How old are you?"

No response. Oikawa looks to Bokuto, who nods and tightens his grip on their captive's wrist, until he shouts in agony.

"19! I'm…I'm 19!" Oikawa masks his surprise with a laugh. Someone so young is leading? How much younger were the others, then? Granted, he was younger when he was enlisted to fight, but the Citadel had always boasted that they were superior, more civilized than those they abandoned into the wastelands. How was this any different from the SDPA?

"Is the Citadel running so low on people that they'll put children in charge of entire platoons…? You guys must be hurting for soldiers really bad, huh? Is it really all that heroic to die all because you won't deliver a nice little message for us? Will your families, the families of your soldiers, sing songs about how you died because you were stubborn?" Oikawa stands up, patting dirt off himself and chuckling to the empty air for a moment, arms outstretched while he shrugs.

"Well, it's of no consequence to us, either way. If none of you will talk, we'll just move to the next camp, and to the next, and the next. We _will_ find someone who will do what we ask. A captain or a commander who cares about his men and his city enough not to die for them, but to _live_ for them _._ And you will become a faceless body in a mile high grave, known for nothing but your stubborn pride whose worth is about as much as the shit on my shoe." The hostage is trembling with tears of frustration and fear in his eyes as Oikawa slowly turns to face him, eyes hollow and hauntingly empty; the empty, piercing stare is as hauntingly hollow as the five other gazes seeping into his every pore.

"So? What's it going to be?"

* * *

"You think he'll do it?" Iwaizumi questions as he watches the jeeps disappear into the sunset, carrying the wounded Citadel soldiers and their proxy, who would inform the Demon Generals that the SDPA knew they had their friend, and that this was their last chance.

"Luckily, our reputation seems to precede us, at least." Kuroo adds, arms crossed as he seems deep in thought. "He'll inform them, alright." Oikawa cleans his knife while sitting on the floor, more to calm himself rather than actual necessity. Ushijima is sitting on one of the supply boxes filled with rations to feed the six of them, calmly reading reports from Headquarters. There's a long silence as everyone goes about their business, before Oikawa suddenly shoots up to his feet from his sitting position.

"Will someone explain to me why he's here, again!?" Ushijima looks up and blinks cluelessly at Oikawa's outburst.

"You requested backup."

"Yeah, but not you!" Oikawa manages to ground out, teeth bared and eyes comically twitching with murderous intent. Iwaizumi grabs Oikawa by the collar and pulls him back.

"Oi. Just be grateful, dumbass." Oikawa glares and points accusingly at Ushijima, shaking with irritation.

"Grateful!? To him!? He didn't even want Kotori-chan to join us in the first place, and _now_ he's willing to risk his life with us to save her!? I find that hard to believe!"

"I don't plan on risking my life. I'm confident in my abilities to protect all of you." This time, Iwaizumi twitches, the vein in his forehead throbbing as he clenches his teeth and speaks through them.

"We're _perfectly_ capable of protecting ourselves. We've faced off with these guys, before."

"Yes, but I'll defeat them." Iwaizumi almost, _almost_ lets go of Oikawa's collar, the brunette almost foaming at the mouth. Kuroo is biting back howling laughter, and Akaashi calmly has an enraged Bokuto trapped in a headlock, the silver-haired captain shouting incoherently in anger. "Besides, I'm not accompanying you solely for Fujisaki Kotomi. She's a secondary objective." A beat of silence ensues.

"What do you _mean_ secondary objective…?" Iwaizumi asks, warning in his voice. Ushijima is still unfazed as all eyes are suddenly on him.

"I mean just as I say. It isn't that I don't trust Fujisaki Kotomi. She is an effective comrade, an excellent medic, and her work with the infrastructure of our compounds in unparalleled. But don't forget the dozens of our comrades are likely being held somewhere in the Citadel. The parlay is simply a diversion to distract from the primary objective, which is to locate the missing SDPA members." Oikawa is breathing heavily now, physically having to restrain himself by digging his nails into his palms, leaving crescent shaped cuts in his calloused hands.

"You mean she's just bait…?"

"That's correct. While we're engaged in negotiations, Sawamura will bring a team to search the Citadel prisons. Once we've located our comrades, we will feign a retreat and then rescue both Fujisaki Kotomi and the others at once." Kuroo gapes slightly.

"Wait, are you serious? That's way too risky. They're going to be watching our every move! What if they catch wind of our little stunt before we manage to locate the others and decide to cut the parlay off!? We're just going to leave Little Bird with those guys?" All humor drops from his face, the Cat Captain standing a little taller than his normal relaxed stance. He was an inch or two taller like this. Ushijima's face darkens a little, almost as if he feels something akin to unease.

"You were there when Fujisaki and I made the arrangement, Captain Kuroo. Fujisaki confirmed that if she were to become a liability to the SDPA, then as current general and leader, I will make the decision to—" There's a flash of metal glinting before Ushijima's eyes before he finds the tip of a knife pointed at his jugular. Oikawa's eyes are that of a beast.

"Don't even _finish_ that sentence." Oikawa snarls threateningly, hands shaking. "I won't trade her life like it's some cheap coin!"

"We would never give up another member's life for the sake of another, Kotomi is no different." Iwaizumi growls, bearing his teeth. The other three glare in agreement. Ushijima finally registers emotion in his normally impassive visage as he tilts his head away from the blade.

"Of course not. We don't trade lives. But in this case, it's life of one soldier or the lives of hundreds, Oikawa. It's for the greater good. I didn't say I would give up on Fujisaki, but I won't pass on this opportunity to save a greater number of people for one person. Now, if you still want to be a part of this mission, sheath your weapon and I'll forgive this transgression." Oikawa finds himself unable to argue rationally, because as much as he hates it, Ushijima is right. He can't admit to himself that as a captain he is obligated to make the choice that hurts him more if it means the survival of the collective. Not to mention…

 _Kotori-chan would never forgive me, or herself, if I sacrificed our comrades, our family, for her sake..._ the truth of the matter is that they're all expendable pawns of a greater cause, the survival of the forgotten , Oikawa retracts his blade with exhaustion in his eyes and movements. Iwaizumi steps forward, placing a gentle, reassuring hand on his friends' shoulder. It was a rare occurrence, but even someone as insufferable as Oikawa deserved kindness when the burden of leadership loomed over him. Everyone's eyes are downcast as they all seem to come to the same conclusion. There were three possible outcomes with only two being viable.

One: They fail to save both Kotomi and their comrades.

Two: They prioritize saving their comrades and lose theiropening to save Kotomi.

Or Three: By some divine miracle, they manage to get Kotomi back and simultaneously locate and free the others.

But it's Bokuto who realizes that there is indeed a fourth option.

"But what if we already know where to look for everyone?" Akaashi raises an eyebrow and regards Bokuto with some speculation.

"Bokuto-san has lost his mind."

"Wait! Listen!" Bokuto whines childishly, stomping his foot, which only convinces everyone more that what he had to say wasn't worth listening to. "What I'm saying is, we go to the partay—"

"Parlay."

"Whatever! We go to the talk. But before that…let's find Komi-chan first! Maybe she's already figured out where the guys are, so we can work with her _while_ she's there. Then, when we meet with the generals, we don't need to worry about searching. She's not a princess who needs saving. She's one of us, so let's use the fact that she's already there! We don't need to abandon anyone!" Everyone, especially Kuroo and Akaashi, look like they have entered a separate reality.

"Bo..."

"Bokuto-san..that's…"

"Brilliant…" Kuroo finishes. Oikawa glances at Iwaizumi in hesitation, who shrugs as Bokuto huffs triumphantly and places his hands on his hips. One could practically see his boosted ego dripping out of his ears.

"Is that brilliant…?"

"For Bokuto, I guess it is."

"For normal people, it's pretty mediocre." Bokuto deflates at the side commentary, turning with a glare and shouting at the brunette and the spiky haired man.

" _Hey!_ You guys didn't think of it!"

"I guess he can have this one, then." Akaashi reasons.

"But we'll never speak of it again." Kuroo adds, with a satisfied grin.

"Agreed." Akaashi deadpans.

"You guys are the worst!" Ushijima watches their interactions, puzzled but not expressing it too overtly as the other 5 men begin to plan who would be sent separately to search for Kotomi before the parlay.

"So, how do we decide who goes on ahead?" Akaashi asks. "We can't all go, that will draw too much attention. I suggest two of us at most go."

"I'll go!" Oikawa, Iwaizumi, and Bokuto all speak in unison before they glare at one another. Oikawa steps up to Bokuto, standing slightly taller. Bokuto puffs out his chest, shorter but bulkier than Oikawa.

"You're too noisy, you damn owl. How are you going to sneak around a guard, much less one of the demon generals? Just let me and Iwa-chan do it; we found her first, after all."

"What about you, you territorial gorilla? If you so much as see anyone look at Komi-chan you go nuts! You'll probably give yourself away the minute you see her! And you didn't even like her when you guys first met, so there!"

" _Hah?_ And so what if I didn't? She was a spoiled brat when we met her, anyway!" Oikawa's childish declaration has Iwaizumi flexing his fist to deliver a swift punch to the head.

 _If she were here, she would have kicked him for that,_ Kuroo mentally notes.

"Besides, she said herself that she became a better person, thanks to me!"

 _I don't even need to be there to know that's_ not _what she said._ Akaashi deadpans silently. But Bokuto bristles, getting up in Oikawa's face confrontationally, puffing his already wide chest out at the slightly taller, but leaner brunette.

"Well I think she was cool then, and she's cool now!" Bokuto says this without batting an eyelash. "I liked her the minute I saw her!" Oikawa steps back, his brow furrowing and a less than humorous scowl marring his pretty and boyish features. Everyone save for Ushijima seems stunned by Bokuto's admission, but Oikawa is quick to recover, shoving a finger into Bokuto's chest.

"You're a kid who doesn't know how to plan!"

 _They've forgotten what they were fighting about._ Iwaizumi finishes. The spiky haired captain waltzes up and snatches Oikawa up by the collar, dragging him away from Bokuto with a hard tug, earning a choked squawk of indignation. Akaashi and Kuroo place a firm hand on Bokuto's shoulder to keep him from going after Oikawa. Ushijima looks to Akaashi, questioning.

"How do you all know Fujisaki Kotomi will know or will be able to find out where the others are?" Iwaizumi hears him and lets out a soft sigh, glancing at Ushijima with some incredulity.

"Because she's Kotomi, that's why." Oikawa pulls away from his friend and places his hands on his hips and his eyes gleam with unbridled pride. "For your information, she's just about the most reckless, idiotic genius I've ever met." Kuroo snorts into his sleeve at this, unable to help his snickering.

"I don't understand what you're trying to say." Ushijima deadpans. "A person cannot be both those things at once." Kuroo stops laughing abruptly, wiping the remnant of a tear from his eye as he takes a deep breath.

"Little Bird may be reckless, but if we know her as well as I think we do, then she will be working to learn everything she can. If there's one thing she hates, it's being a damsel in distress."

"We don't know nearly enough about the Citadel to navigate it ourselves, much less have Sawamura and the others figure it out on their own if we're busy staging a negotiation." Ushijima reasons.

"That's what meeting with Kotomi is going to help with" Kuroo interjects. "She knows us, the Citadel, and the Generals. She's going factor in all of those things and come up with a failsafe for whatever we have in store."

"I still don't understand how you can have so much faith in her."

"You should spend some time with her, Ushijima-san." Akashi adds, cobalt blue piercing golden brown. "Maybe you'll understand better if you see for yourself. Kotomi has learned quite a bit about strategy, as well."

"Not that the Gorilla would ever let you be alone with her." Kuroo snickers, running a finger through his messy hair. "So now…how are we going to decide on who's going to go?"

"We should figure it out before those two kill each other." Iwaizumi jabs a thumb at the owl and gorilla still sneering at each other even from a distance.

"Bokuto-san." Bokuto stops, just short of flashing Oikawa the finger. "Let's settle this with _Janken."_ Oikawa gapes, directing the glare at Akaashi, now.

" _Rock Paper Scissors?_ You want to put her fate in a game of _luck_?" Akaashi's eyes gleam playfully as he makes a scissoring motion with his fingers.

"What are you saying, Oikawa-san? It's a game of strategy."

"You're just as bad as the owl!"

"Hey!" Akaashi's eyes grow serious for a moment, and the ghost of a smile spreads across his lips.

"You don't think I'm going to sit idly by and let you save her all the time, right?" Oikawa's eyes grow possessive as he grins with a dark humor tainting his smile.

"So that's what you're playing at…? Fine, then."

"Anyway," Akaashi continues, "We all have the capability of finding her, so anyone is fine. Shall we play?" Five hands gather in a circle balled into fists. Electricity almost seems to crackle among Oikawa, Bokuto, and even Akaashi as they all mentally prepare themselves…suddenly, a sixth hand appears in the mix, belonging to a stone-faced Ushijima, earning the disbelieving wrath of Oikawa.

"What the _hell_ are you doing, Ushiwaka, you—"

"I'm taking Akaashi-san's advice," he reasons. "I'm interested in her way of thinking. I'd like to get to know what goes on in her head." Akaashi avoids eye contact with the brunette.

"I didn't mean now…"

 _I only wanted to psyche Oikawa-senpai out._ He admits in his head, sweat dripping down his temple. _This might be bad if he wins._

"Let's just get this over with," Kuroo offers. "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!"

* * *

Soft scratching of a pen stops as there is a soft knock on the door. The red-haired man merely murmurs "come in" as the door opens, and a maid pokes her head through the doorframe.

"Akashi-sama, Kuroko-sama is here to give his report."

"Very well, send him in." The maid disappears and the blue-haired assassin steps inside, hands held behind his back and his eyes set ahead.

"Akashi-kun."

"Tetsuya." There's a long pause so stagnant it's hard to believe that the two grew up together, as close as brothers. The scratching of Akashi's pen is the only sound filling the air, until Akashi finishes whatever it was that he was writing before setting the writing utensil down and adjusting the stack of papers. Kuroko waits patiently until Akashi finally raises his head from his work, both the gold and red eyes appraising the young man before him with an expectant nod. At this signal, Kuroko begins his report.

"Nothing much has changed since my last report. The border has seen no attempts from the rebels to make their way into the city, nor have we received any abnormalities within the city. Everything is as it should be." Akashi hums in approval of such news, his one gold eye glinting ever so slightly.

"They haven't made their move yet?" Kuroko shakes his head.

"But I don't think we'll have to wait long before they try."

"They can try all they like, their days of making light of us are over. We have the upper hand now."

"Of course." Kuroko's voice is short, but his emphatic response speaks volumes to the determination he feels to ensure that this will be the case.

"Speaking of, how is she doing, now?" There's no need to indicate who Akashi is referring to.

"Midorima-kun told me that she is still unresponsive. But Aida-san said that she will keep watch when she is not in treatment. You don't plan on visiting her?"

"In time. I want to ensure our time together won't be interrupted by any outsiders." Akashi smiles, and Kuroko could almost describe it as tender and affectionate as he was undoubtedly thinking back on a fond memory. "Besides, I'm sure the rest of you would like time to see her, as well. For now, I'll refrain." Akashi stands up, wandering over to the window and looking out on the gardens, his reflection eyeing Kuroko from over the red-head's shoulder. "How badly do you suspect she's been manipulated? Will it take long before things return to as they were?"

"I'm not sure," Kuroko admits. "I think that Kotomi-chan is still in denial that she was even kidnapped. And with her recent collapse…"

"Aida Riko and Kiyoshi Teppei plan on monitoring her, I was told. You're the one who recommended them because Kotomi trusts them. Do _you_ trust that they won't perpetuate Kotomi's delusions?" The question catches Kuroko off guard. It was hard to tell what Akashi was thinking these days. Was this an accusation, or an expression of concern? Kuroko once again answers honestly and swiftly: Pausing before Akashi signaled doubt in his eyes.

"Aida-san and Kiyoshi-san have been loyal and helpful comrades for the last 8 years. They care deeply for the City and its inhabitants, including Kotomi-chan. They won't do something as harmful as perpetuate something that hurts her."

"It's no matter, I was just curious. I plan on implementing countermeasures regardless." Akashi says simply. Kuroko doesn't express his concern over the implications of Akashi's quiet announcement.

"Understood."

"Is that all you have to report?"

"Yes."

"Then you're dismissed." Kuroko turns to leave, hoping to stop by Kotomi's room and at least make sure she's eaten.

"Tetsuya." Kuroko stops and turns to face Akashi completely, knowing that if Akashi was stopping him, it was likely an order or a mission of some sort. Akashi's eyes seem to glow in the dim light of his room with a cold and calculating mettle that could send any normal man's boots quaking right off his feet as he turns to look directly at the blue-haired assassin. He takes his seat once more, a shadow cast from the window's stream of moonlight seeming to shroud Akashi with darkness. "I almost forgot to mention. I have a new mission for you. I'd like you to take Daiki, since he's likely shirking his patrol duties again. I promise that it's a fun one." Kuroko raises a brow questioningly. He usually never sends Aomine on missions, not trusting that he would do the job meticulously. If he was sending Aomine, it meant that it wasn't a mission of stealth or diplomacy.

It was just destruction.

"What will this mission entail?" Akashi's lips turn up at the corners ever so slightly, as he rests his chin atop his neatly folded hands.

"Nothing too complicated. Of course, I'm pleased that we're all together once again. It's just the small matter of ensuring it stays that way. I just received a very _interesting_ message..." Kuroko nods obediently, but as Akashi shares with him what he's heard, something tugs the corners of his lips down into a frown as he realizes why Aomine is being sent.

* * *

"Just don't push your luck, Kotomi," Riko advises as she's putting on her jacket. "I understand that you want to act as soon as possible, but there's only so much that Teppei and I can do to help you. So lie low for now."

"Okay, thank you, Riko." Kotomi looks down at the ground, her hands moving up to hug herself. Riko raises a brow and watches her, pausing as her hand is on the doorknob. She eventually sighs and pulls away, crossing her arms and resting on the door.

"What are you thinking?"

"Huh? What makes you think I'm thinking about anything?" If she didn't already know her, Riko would have left it at that. Kotomi is a convincing liar, particularly when it comes to her own emotions. With nothing more than an eyebrow raise and a pout from Riko, Kotomi glances away, exhaling heavily.

"I need to ask them about my friends." Riko smacks the dark-haired girl on the head, glaring at her, though the fragments of sympathy were somewhere within the depths of her mocha colored eyes.

"Didn't I just tell you to lie low? Asking about the enemy's location is _definitely_ not lying low!" Kotomi cringes and holds her head with a whine. She hit way harder than any of the other guys, how!?

"I just…I just need to know for sure." The vulnerable tone in Kotomi's voice cools Riko's irritation, a saddened downward turn of her lips softening mocha irises completely now. "I want to hate them, I want to forget about them and focus on the people in my life now, but no matter how hard I try, I can't help but _hope_ they're in there somewhere. My old friends…"

"Kotomi, I thought you-"

"I know what I told Kuroko, and I wish it were the whole truth, but I can't shake off this heaviness in my chest." She holds the spot where her heart rested, pressing her lips together to prevent anything more from escaping her. "I'll be careful, but if I'm going to do this, I need to know for sure that this is what I want to do." Riko finds she has nothing to say in response, but she does place a hand on Kotomi's head, ruffling the younger woman's hair, then letting her fingers slip through the soft, thin locks.

"Okay," her voice is noticeably softer. "Do you what you think is necessary. Just be careful." Kotomi only nods, offering a gentle smile. Riko feels as though he wants to cry, as she recognizes it as the same smile that the 13 year old Kotomi used to wear all the time, when she was first learning how to treat injured soldiers. Uncertain, but determined to see it all through to the end. With this, Riko heads out, leaving Kotomi to her thoughts. As she's walking down the halls, she's stopped by a familiar blue-haired general. Kuroko blinks a few times, while Riko nods toward him.

"Kuroko-kun."

"Is she awake?" Riko nods. "Thank you again for all your help, Aida-san. You're welcome to see her anytime you wish." The granted permission to see her friend unnerves Riko, but Kuroko doesn't seem to notice her discomfort. As Kuroko walks past her, Riko finds herself speaking before she can stop herself.

"Kuroko-kun, what is Kotomi-chan to you?" The question seems to echo in the empty hallways for a long moment. Kuroko slowly turns to look at Riko with something akin to an emotion floating around in those empty baby blue depths. She almost wants to retract the question due to the silence that follows, pursing her lips. Just when she's about to excuse herself, Kuroko answers.

"She's a precious person, and someone who has to be protected, no matter what."

"Because she can't protect herself?"

"That's right. It's not that I don't think she can handle herself, please don't misunderstand. I imagine she faced hardships that made her stronger than she was before. But there are things about Kotomi that you don't know about."

Kuroko's eyes seem to warm as he brings a hand over his heart. Riko's eyes widen slightly. In all her years that she's gotten to know Kuroko, she's never seen an expression like that before. "She's vulnerable in ways that only we could possibly understand, because we were with her during the worst days of her life. I…we love her. We just want what's best." Riko finds herself disturbed to the point that she only wants to excuse herself and escape this conversation.

 _They're certainly delusional, that's for sure_.

"I think you should take the time to talk to her. That's what's best for Kotomi-chan, too. She's not a kid, Kuroko-kun. She's an adult, one who shouldn't have to be monitored like a newborn-"

"With all due respect, Aida-san," Kuroko's voice immediately hardens, eyes darkening just a shade. "I kindly ask you to keep your involvement in our affairs to monitoring Kotomi-chan's health." Riko feels a nerve snap at the sudden change in attitude. She's never wanted to use the Boston Crab on someone more. But she knew that even if Kuroko was the most approachable of the Demon Generals, he was just as dangerous. She couldn't pull her punches and not expect him to retaliate.

"…Understood…" With this, Riko bows and makes her escape, a little more nervous about what Kotomi had planned than she already was. They clearly saw a claim to her; Kotomi was an item, not just a person, to them. And that was dangerous. Kuroko watches her leave for a long moment, before continuing on his way to Kotomi's room. He quietly stops just before her door, hand poised to knock. Kuroko purses his lips again. Try as he might, the concern he's been pushing away continues to gnaw at the edges of his mind. He wanted to believe everything could go back to normal; that sooner than later, he would find himself sitting underneath the plum tree once more, surrounded by his friends and enjoying the peace they once knew as children with Kise's complaining, Murasakibara's snacking, and Kotomi's soft reading aloud.

But those days of innocence only seemed to drift farther away from his vision in his pursuit to catch glimpse. Even more so, ironically, that Kotomi returned to complete their once tattered family. As much as he wanted to believe he was closer to that dream-like peace, the more he recalled their supposed joyful reunion just days before. He could see the childish innocence in his war-jaded comrades, and he hadn't seen Momoi laugh the way she did in ages when she saw Kotomi alive and well. But the one who disappeared from them, the one whose return they yearned for…

Kotomi's eyes were empty. No joy, no anger, no grief. It was as if they were nothing more than strangers invading her personal space. Kuroko had been the only one to spot that look in her eyes, and to see her reluctance to return home. He wasn't sure what to make of it, or if it were just a result of her trauma. He remembers vaguely that Kiyoshi-senpai had suggested Stockholm Syndrome. If that were the case, then the mission given to him by Akashi was more important than ever.

And he would do whatever he could to keep that fading dream alive, for all their sakes. As he steels his resolve and stifles his doubts, he moves to knock, only to have the door open suddenly. Kotomi is standing in front of him in her shoes, a t-shirt and shorts, eyes widened in surprise.

* * *

"Kotomi-chan?" Kotomi almost jumps out of her skin when she opens the door, partly from being surprised but mostly due to _who_ she found on the other side. She makes eye contact with Kuroko, who is watching her as impassive as ever, though his brow is raised in question.

"Tetsuya…"

"What are you doing out of bed?" _Where are you going?_ He doesn't need to voice the real question for Kotomi to understand it. His hand moves to touch her arm, but she instinctively steps away, staring at his hand with some reservation. The recent revelation didn't have her exactly wanting to jump into his arms.

"Actually, I was looking for you." He seems surprised to hear that. They didn't exactly part on best terms, considering that he gassed and technically kidnapped her. Even if he believed it was in her best interest, a sane person would recognize that as a bit jarring.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm just…" Kotomi takes a deep breath, turning her head slightly and rubbing her upper arm. "So much has been happening, and I can barely keep up. My head is all jumbled and I just need help putting it all together again. Can we just…sit and talk for a little bit?" Kuroko's eyes widen as he feels some of the ice around his heart melt. "I know you have a mission, but—"

"It can wait." Kuroko reaches out and takes Kotomi's hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "For you, it can wait." Kotomi smiles at this, taking one hand in both of hers-Kuroko could feel the scratch of callouses and the small indents from scars on her fingers-and holding it tightly for a moment.

The dream of the plum tree was a little clearer, now.

Sitting beside her, Kuroko couldn't help but take a closer look at the ways she's changed. Her skin a warmer tone than the porcelain paleness he always admired on her but hated on himself, her arms and legs littered with scars and her hair lacking the silky shine it used to have. The years in the wastelands had taken its toll on her. And yet, she also looks well-fed and physically healthy, he notes with some approval. It's the best condition he could ask for considering what she's been through.

"This is the first time I've been back in your room." Kuroko notes quietly. Kotomi picks at one of her plush toys, their legs almost touching.

"Since…?"

"Six years ago."

"I see." A long silence ensues. It' so awkward Kotomi wants to throw caution out the window and just ask what she wants, but she had to tread carefully. She opens her mouth to fill the silence and bide her time more carefully, but it's Kuroko who speaks first.

"Kotomi…are you…really happy to be home?" Kuroko doesn't look up when he asks this, head bowed as he stares at his hands, clenched tightly on his lap. The question is asked so innocently, so hesitantly, that it drowns her senses with irritation and pity at his willful ignorance. She stands up abruptly, walking towards her closet with a deep inhale.

"…Do you really expect me to bow at your feet and sing praises for being kidnapped…?" Kuroko bites his lip at this, having nothing to say. Kotomi keeps her back to him. "I don't know how many times I need to say this, but I'm not 16 anymore. I'm an _adult,_ and to have my wishes completely and utterly ignored is not only humiliating, it makes me wonder if you still see me as a kid. _"_

"It's not that I don't think you're capable of making decisions, we—"

"I understand that you think what you're doing is the right thing to do, but I know myself too." She turns to look at him, her eyes hard but not cold. "I just…I just want to be heard." She kneels down at Kuroko's side, taking his hands in hers and holding them tightly. Kuroko finds himself blushing as he tries not to look directly at her expression.

"Looking at me like that is unfair."

"If it will make you pay attention." Kotomi manages a humorless smile, and Kuroko slips his hands over hers and brings them to his face. "I need to ask you a question, and I need you to answer it honestly. It will help me understand everything. Can you do that for me?" Kuroko feels his chest thrum with hope, and he nods eagerly.

"Alright…I'll answer you."

"Are you… holding members of the SPDA here and interrogating them?" The room seems to drop several degrees, the fuzzy atmosphere all but dissipating. Kuroko's eyes go dark, and it's like Kotomi can actually hear the sound of the doors to Kuroko's heart swinging shut. His grip on her loosens, and then falls away. But Kotomi doesn't look away, even cupping his cheek when he lets go of her.

"…How did you hear about it?" Kotomi's pulse picks up speed, and she stands up, sitting beside him and leaning closer.

"You captured the camp back there but didn't kill all of them. It got me thinking." A shadow of fear dances over Kuroko's visage, and he's apprehensive about answering.

"Yes, that's right…"

"You torture them?"

"Yes." Kotomi's breath hitches and her grip on his hand tightens slightly, her eyes narrowing.

"How…?" Kuroko flinches.

"Kotomi…"

" _How?"_

"Anything to get them to answer…it's…different for each person." Kotomi's imagination makes her stomach churn as she imagines all the ways someone could be tortured.

"Don't you feel anything?" Her voice is strained.

"Only that it's a waste when they die without telling us anything." Kotomi searches desperately for something telling her that he's only lying to himself, but she can't find even a sliver of doubt in that statement.

"They're people, too."

"They've killed so many of us."

"Torture and killing aren't the same thing."

"I know that…"

"Tetsuya…" Kotomi finds her voice edging on pleading. It really, truly felt like perhaps there was hope. She could see it in her eyes and her heart bled for that expression. Even if she told herself to give up, she couldn't really just walk away. Especially not from the boy who sat beside her and held her hand all those years ago. She was reaching out for him, and he was responding. She cups Kuroko's face, caressing the skin with her thumbs. "aren't you tired of this…?" His eyes widen as she speaks. "This…you're not this person at heart. You're good, you're sweet, and kind."

"I'm not." He insists, "Not anymore."

"People don't just forget who they were," Kotomi whispers. _I haven't._ "You're a good person. I've seen it, because you've showed me again and again."

"That boy is dead."

"We've all had to change, but that doesn't mean we can't change for the better, if we can't go back." Kotomi rests their foreheads together, her heart pounding in her ears. Was she reaching him? His hands are tightly holding her now, almost trembling with exertion. "We don't have to fight anymore, work with me. Learn about them, Kuroko. I promise you, they're—"

"Kotomi." Hands on her shoulders push her away abruptly. Kotomi slowly looks up with a sinking chest at the cold that's returned to Kuroko's eyes. There's a degree of disbelief in the way he says her name. "You couldn't possibly…be trying to turn me against the others, are you?"

 _I pushed a little too hard._ Kotomi swallows hard. _I didn't listen to Riko. I didn't lay low._

"No, that's not it." She knows that he doesn't believe her, she could see that in his eyes, as well. When he stands up, he towers over her. Despite his more slender frame, he seems almost as imposing as Murasakibara like this. Kotomi realizes this is what people outside their circle of friends saw in the blue-haired phantom. It chills her very core.

"Do you want to know what Akashi-kun said to me when I saw him today?"

 _Most likely not,_ Kotomi says to herself.

"He told me that your friends asked for a parlay, wanting to talk about your release. They want you back." Kotomi's heart skips a beat, but she keeps her expression blank. "But we won't return you to them. Because we all belong together. You may be an adult, but you're confused. I can't trust what thoughts are yours and what thoughts were planted into your head. We can help you because we've never wavered from our goals, and we've never betrayed each other. We're going to create a paradise for us, so we can live together forever."

"Tetsuya…"

"I'm telling you because you asked me to be honest with you, but Aomine-kun and I will be attending the parlay with our teams. We're going to pretend to accept the offer to meet. And we're going to kill them, once and for all."

 _Kill…?_ The world goes silent. Kotomi's lips part and her eyes go wide. There was no indication of a lie in his voice. It isn't a bluff to scare her. Oikawa and the others were coming for her, and they were walking to their graves.

Because of her.

Kuroko stands up, walking towards the door.

"I'm sorry, Kotomi." Without a pause, Kotomi stands up and runs toward Kuroko. The young man turns just in time for Kotomi to throw her arms around him, pressing up against him with trembling shoulders.

 _"Ow…"_

 _"You got absolutely destroyed by Bokuto again?" Kiyoko asks as she rubs the spot she just bandaged on Kotomi's forehead._

 _"You don't have to say it like that," Kotomi whines, "He's so muscly it's unfair…"_

 _"He's bulky, but not difficult to defeat." Kotomi stares at her friend incredulously. "What I mean is, you have the assets to stop Bokuto, you're just not using them."_

 _"But being small and quick isn't enough."_

 _"I'm not talking about being small or fast."_

 _"Eh?"_

"I'm sorry, Tetsuya…I'm sorry…" Kotomi looks up at him, with eyes shining with unshed tears, cornflower blue shining with grief. Kuroko's eyes widen at the sudden change in tune, watching her warily for a moment. However, he doesn't pull away, his hands moving up to her shoulders. "I'm sorry, I didn't meant to be that way…my head is all scrambled, I can't…I can't tell what I'm supposed to think. I need help." Her tone melts away the darkness in Kuroko once more, if only pushing it to the side so that what was left of his humanity could come to the surface.

"Kotomi…" His cheeks flush as he reaches up to push some stray hairs away from her face, and Kotomi presses her face into his hand, turning her head to brush her lips against calloused fingers. His heart skips a beat.

"I'll try to listen to you more, I just need your help figuring things out. Please…please…" Kuroko wraps his arms around her more securely embracing her tightly. Kotomi does the same, her hands trembling. Kuroko takes a deep, shaky breath, almost smiling.

"I know things are difficult, Kotomi, but if we work together, things can go back to normal. You don't have to figure things out alone, we can do it together." Kotomi's voice is faint, slightly muffled by his shoulder.

"Will you tell the others I'm sorry for making them worry…and I want to start again…"

"Yes, of course, Kotomi…"

"Thank you, Tetsuya…"

 _"You may not be as strong, as tall, or as muscly as the others," Kotomi winces both at Kiyoko's words, and the alcohol-soaked cotton ball disinfecting the cut on her forearm. "but you have things they don't have as well."_

 _"I'm not following." Kiyoko sighs, sitting across from Kotomi and pushing some hair behind a daintily shaped ear._

 _"You're pretty. And you're small. People let their guards down around you, so you should use that. You don't have to fight your way out of your problems all the time." Kotomi nods slowly, but she doesn't look content with that answer._

 _"That's a dirty trick."_

 _"It's a dirty trick only we can use in times like this." Kiyoko smiles knowingly, placing a hand on Kotomi's shoulder. "We're women, Kotomi. And that's the greatest weapon we can own, if we know how to use it."_

She didn't understand at the time what Kiyoko had said at the time, even when she tried it on Oikawa and Bokuto and even Kuroo, she didn't understand how she was able to use this. She came a little closer when she tried it with Himuro, but Kotomi is absolutely sure now. The people it will work best on are the very people she grew up with. And she's absolutely sure she won't feel bad about using their predilections about her to her advantage. She had no choice now. Learn their secrets, let them trust her again. Kotomi steels herself despite the aching of her heart. Perhaps she would truly never be able to shed the pain of deceiving the people she once knew as her world, but wasn't that for the best?

If this is her greatest weapon against them, it's only fit that it be a double edged sword.

* * *

 **Author's Note: So, I realize Kotomi is back and forth a lot these last few chapters. I don't want her to sway from her loyalties to the SDPF, but I also don't want her to just drop her family so soon. She's back and forth because there still is a part of her that wants to believe they can change. She is loyal to a fault, but here's she's finally made her choice to actively betray them. She won't be swaying again anytime soon.**

 **But I hope you guys enjoy, please leave a review! It lets me know how you guys are feeling!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Love,**

 **Silky**


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